FLORENCE, KY — A former Northern Kentucky physician's opioid prescribing was "so dangerous" it contributed to the deaths of at least 7 former patients, according to a superseding federal indictment filed Thursday in United States District Court in Covington.
Former physician William Siefert worked at Northern Kentucky Center for Pain Relief in Florence. He's charged with 13 counts, including conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and health care fraud. Siefert is also charged with distribution for writing the opioid prescriptions.
Timothy Ehn, a chiropractor, owned and operated the pain clinic, according to the superseding indictment.
Ehn is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and health care fraud.
Ehn's defense attorney, Ben Glassman, said Ehn is still seeing patients.
Siefert and Ehn have pleaded not guilty.
The indictment includes new details about the alleged crimes.
"Siefert and Ehn continued with this scheme even as other staff at NKYCPR warned them of how dangerous NKYCPR's prescribing had become and even as Siefert and Ehn became aware that NKYCPR patients were overdosing on opioids and dying," according to the indictment.
The indictment alleges that Siefert and Ehn decisions were based in part on their "desire and intent to bill" for additional tests and procedures.
The alleged crimes occurred from around Jan. 2017 to Feb. 2021 in Boone and Campbell Counties, according to the indictment.
NKYCPR previously operated a clinic in Newport.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 27.
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