A 51-year-old Indian-origin doctor in New Jersey has been charged with distributing drugs without a valid medical purpose to his patients. According to a release issued by the US Attorney’s office, the doctor, identified as Ritesh Kalra, was giving high-dose medicine in exchange for sexual favours from his patients.
Kalra from Secaucus was allegedly operating a “pill mill out of his medical office, where he routinely prescribed high-dose opioids, including oxycodone, and promethazine with codeine to patients,” said the press release issued by the US Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, on Friday.
US Attorney on Kalra
According to the release, US Attorney Alina Habba said, “Physicians hold a position of profound responsibility—but as alleged, Dr Kalra used that position to fuel addiction, exploit vulnerable patients for sex and defraud New Jersey’s public healthcare programme.”
Habba added, “By allegedly exchanging prescriptions for sexual favors and billing Medicaid for ghost appointments, he not only violated the law but endangered lives. Our Office will continue to pursue those who turn their medical licenses into tools for personal gain and sexual gratification.”
Kalra has been accused of issuing more than 31,000 prescriptions for oxycodone. He wrote over 50 prescriptions between January 2019 and February 2025. The release further said that, along with this, Kalra was an internist in Fair Lawn, also billed for false in-person visits and counselling sessions.
He appeared in Newark federal court on Thursday before a US Magistrate Judge. He was released on home incarceration with an unsecured bond of USD 1,000,000. In addition, Kalra needs to close his medical practice while the case is ongoing.
His attorney, Michael Baldassar, denied the allegations, saying that the government’s press release looks like “a supermarket tabloid”, as the New York Daily News reported on Saturday.
Demand of sexual favours and future after conviction
Former employees have reported that female patients accused Kalra of sexual misconduct, including unwanted touching and demanding sexual favors, like oral sex, in exchange for prescriptions. One patient even alleged she was forced into anal sex during clinical appointments.
If convicted, Kalra could face up to 20 years in prison for each illegal drug distribution charge and up to 10 years for each healthcare fraud charge. He also faces potential fines of up to $1 million per drug charge and $250,000 or more per fraud charge.