Indian-Origin Doctor Charged in US for Fraud, Exploiting Patients for Sex in Exchange for Opioids
An Indian-origin doctor in New Jersey has been charged with unlawfully prescribing opioids and demanding sexual favours from patients in exchange for prescription drugs, US prosecutors said, describing the case as a severe abuse of medical authority.
Dr Ritesh Kalra, 51, from Secaucus, New Jersey, has been placed under home detention after a US court hearing. Prosecutors allege that Kalra exploited vulnerable patients battling addiction by using his medical licence to prescribe opioid medications, including oxycodone, without medical necessity. Court documents reveal he issued more than 31,000 prescriptions between January 2019 and February 2025.
The investigation found that Kalra demanded sexual favours from female patients, including oral and anal sex, in return for opioid prescriptions. One patient alleged she was forced into anal sex during a medical appointment, while another claimed Kalra issued prescriptions even while she was incarcerated at Essex County Correctional Facility, despite having no direct consultation.
“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 program,” said attorney Alina Habba. “By allegedly exchanging prescriptions for sexual favors and billing Medicaid for ghost appointments, he not only violated the law but endangered lives.”
Following the charges, Kalra’s medical licence has been suspended. He was released on home detention with an unsecured $100,000 bond after appearing before US Magistrate Judge André M Espinosa, who also barred him from practicing medicine or prescribing medications during the legal proceedings.
Kalra has been ordered to shut down his medical clinic amid the ongoing investigation. Prosecutors emphasised the broader public safety concerns, stating that Kalra’s alleged actions contributed to the opioid crisis while exploiting patients who were dependent on the medications he provided.
