News Summary
Dr. Ritesh Kalra, a physician in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, faces multiple charges including medical fraud, sexual misconduct, and prescription abuse. Allegations indicate he improperly prescribed opioids and solicited sexual favors from patients. Investigations reveal a pattern of misconduct, with thousands of illicit prescriptions issued and fraudulent billing submitted to Medicaid. Kalra is currently under home arrest, facing serious legal repercussions that could result in significant prison time and fines. This case highlights urgent issues of accountability in the medical field and the need for stricter prescription regulations.
Fair Lawn, New Jersey – Dr. Ritesh Kalra, a 51-year-old physician of Indian descent, has been charged with multiple counts related to medical fraud, sexual misconduct, and prescription abuse. The charges suggest a serious breach of medical ethics, as Kalra allegedly distributed potent opioids like oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose and solicited sexual favors from female patients in exchange for prescriptions.
Specifically, the charges state that between January 2019 and February 2025, Kalra issued over 31,000 prescriptions for opioids, frequently prescribing more than 50 in a single day. He is accused of operating a “pill mill” out of his Fair Lawn clinic and regularly prescribing high-dose opioids, including combinations with promethazine, without any valid medical justification.
Alongside his illegal prescribing practices, Kalra is facing accusations of sexually exploiting his patients. Reports from former employees indicated that numerous female patients had complained about inappropriate touching and requests for sexual favors, which included demands for oral sex. One patient has asserted that she was sexually assaulted multiple times during her visits, allegedly being forced into unwanted sexual acts.
In addition to these serious allegations, Kalra has been charged with defrauding New Jersey’s Medicaid program. Prosecutors allege that he submitted ghost bills for medical visits that never took place, further compounding his extensive fraudulent activities. His electronic health records have come under scrutiny, revealing that they contained fabricated progress notes that lacked essential medical details, such as vital signs, and consistently matched across various patient files.
Dr. Kalra is currently under home arrest and is prohibited from practicing medicine or prescribing any medication while legal proceedings are in progress. Furthermore, he has been ordered to shut down his medical practice. Should he be convicted of the charges, he faces a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years for each count related to illegal drug distribution and up to 10 years for health care fraud. Additionally, he may face substantial fines, including up to $1 million for each drug charge and over $250,000 for each fraud charge.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba remarked on the gravity of the accusations, highlighting that physicians wield a significant responsibility in society. According to the allegations, Dr. Kalra not only exploited his position but also placed vulnerable patients in peril by exchanging prescriptions for sexual favors and submitting fraudulent Medicaid claims.
Investigators have uncovered troubling details, including that Kalra was found to continue prescribing medications to an incarcerated patient at Essex County Correctional Facility without any legitimate medical interaction, raising further questions about the integrity of his medical practice.
The legal troubles faced by Dr. Kalra shed light on a concerning trend of medical malpractice, where the actions of a trusted healthcare provider have led to possible harm, exploitation, and significant fraud against the public healthcare system. The ongoing investigation and legal proceedings will further unfold details in this troubling case, emphasizing the critical need for accountability in the medical field.
This sequence of events has raised alarms not only about the potential abuse of power by medical professionals but also the urgent need for improvements in monitoring and regulation of prescription practices to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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Additional Resources
- NDTV
- Wikipedia: Medical Fraud
- Hindustan Times
- Google Search: Ritesh Kalra medical fraud
- Times of India
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Sexual Assault
- DNA India
- Google News: Ritesh Kalra New Jersey

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