Feds charge lawyer in Ohio pain pill case

CINCINNATI (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged a lawyer with helping launder $133,000 as part of alleged illegal activity at an Ohio pain medication clinic.

The charges against Steven Hillman of suburban Columbus were added to a 2012 indictment against seven individuals that alleged dozens of customers a week would travel hundreds of miles to visit clinics in southern and central Ohio and pay $200 per visit for painkillers.

The indictment said prescriptions were written without meaningful physical exams and contributed to the deaths of at least two patients.

Prosecutors say Hillman conspired with another defendant to open Physicians Pharmacy in Piketon for the purpose of illegally distributing controlled substances.

Hillman is also accused of trying to launder $132,920 in proceeds from the conspiracy. A message was left Thursday with his attorney.