Feds indict midstate gynecologist in multimillion-dollar pill mill case

A gynecologist who operated a medical practice in Dodge County and a Laurens County diet clinic was indicted by federal grand jurors Wednesday on allegations he operated an illegal pill mill, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.

George Mack Bird III, 58, was named in a 176-count indictment returned in Savannah, according to a news release.

Bird allegedly instructed employees to dispense and distribute various controlled substances and highly addictive opioids using prescription forms he’d pre-signed in violation of federal law. He rarely saw or examined his patients, but directed his employees to use pre-printed medical notes to give the appearance patients had been thoroughly examined, according to the release.

Authorities allege Bird’s “unlawful dispensation scheme” generated more than $4.5 million in proceeds and that Bird and others conspired to illegally launder the proceeds by using them to pay the clinics’ operating expenses, according to the release.

Bird, who is being held in state custody, faces a maximum life sentence.

The federal government is seeking the forfeiture of his offices, home, investment properties and a monetary judgment of at least $4.5 million. About $1 million in cash was seized at the time of his arrest and federal agents have either seized or frozen an additional $3.9 million held in bank and investment accounts, according to the release.

This story was originally published March 9, 2017 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Feds indict midstate gynecologist in multimillion-dollar pill mill case."