Couple not charged in deaths caused by tainted steroids
A couple linked to the New England Compounding Center, which was involved in a deadly meningitis
outbreak, has pleaded guilty to financial crimes.
While Doug and Carla Conigliaro are not charged in the deaths resulting from the outbreak, they did
face justice Friday in a Massachusetts federal courtroom. They admitted to opening accounts and
making more than 100 withdrawals to hide money.
Despite pleading guilty to financial crimes, the couple might not see any jail time.
They admitted Friday to hiding more than $123,000 after the company declared bankruptcy and
following the outbreak of fungal meningitis in 2012.
“To say that it was just the people that were running the stuff day to day is just a cop-out because
you can’t own a business without knowing what is going on in that business,” said Jay Doyle, a
victim who still suffers from health issues because of the tainted steroids.
The contaminated steroid produced at NECC killed 64 people and sickened more than 750 in 20
states. The Conigliaros are not charged in any of those cases. Doyle wants them to be punished.
“I was in the hospital for 40 days and I wasn’t expected to live,” he said.
Carla Conigliaros was NECC’s majority owner and Doug Conigliaros was director of an affiliated
company.
The couple admitted to making withdrawals small enough to not be reported by the bank.
Attorney Peter McGrath, who represents about 30 victims, 22 of whom are from New Hampshire,
believes the Conigliaros will testify against others.
“These two people today will probably help them go after the bigger targets, so it’s not over yet and I
have faith in the process and in these federal prosecutors in Boston,” McGrath said.
The couple’s attorney said they have been sorry since the beginning.
“Today’s hearing in court makes very clear, as has every previous court appearance, that Carla and
Doug Conigliaro had nothing to do with the day-to-day operations at the compounding center,” said
David Meier, the defendants’ attorney.