TENNESSEE
A dual U.S.-Italian national was extradited from Italy to the United States last week for allegedly running a “Pill Mill,” officials announced Monday.
The U.S. Marshals Service transported the defendant from Lamezia Terme, Calabria to Knoxville, Tennessee.
Luigi Palma, 54, is a co-defendant of Sylvia Hofstetter, who, along with three medical providers, was convicted of numerous charges related to “pill mill” operations in Florida and Tennessee following a four-month trial earlier this year in Knoxville, according to officials.
Defendants are innocent unless proven guilty.
Palma contested his extradition from Italy for approximately two years. The charges against Palma are varied and reflect his alleged role in owning and operating pain clinics in South Florida and the Knoxville area over the course of several years.
Included in those charges are a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy and a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, oxymorphone, and morphine outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
This sweeping prosecution, which has resulted in approximately 140 convictions so far, is the result of an investigation by law enforcement, officials stated.