Wauwatosa couple charged in major drug takedown related to prescription pills

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The U.S. attorney and Wisconsin's Attorney General are accusing owners of a Wauwatosa pain clinic of illegally prescribing drugs.

 A Wauwatosa couple allegedly made nearly $2 million in cash during the last two years selling controlled substances out of their Clinical Pain Consultants clinic. The U.S. Attorney's Office says they made so much because they were prescribing excessive doses, not for legitimate medical purposes. 

Lisa and Robert Hofschulz have been indicted and charged with 14 counts for those prescriptions. Three others have been charged in a separate case for illegally obtaining controlled substances by fraud.

The announcement is part of a national campaign. On Thursday, the DOJ announced they are charging 600 medical professionals with more than $2 billion in medical fraud related to the opioid epidemic. 

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel says Friday's announcement is the result of a collaborative effort between state and federal law enforcement. 

"Both to go after the traditional drug dealers that we see on the street, but also to go after those who hide behind what appears to be a legitimate business. And also, this is just part of a multifaceted approach. We all get that we must focus on getting treatment for those who are suffering from addiction," said Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel. 

Schimel says citizens have a big responsibility in preventing abuse and it's important to know what drugs you're taking, dispose of unused drugs, and report suspicious dealers to the police.