Dedham Couple Charged in Relation to Deadly Meningitis Outbreak

14 were indicted in connection with the New England Compounding Center in Framingham (NECC) and nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak.

The U.S. attorney office has confirmed that Gregory Conigliaro of Southborough and Barry Cadden of Wrentham, co-founders of the NECC, were among 14 people arrested Wednesday morning.

Charges to include racketeering with 25 predicate acts of second degree murder in 7 states.

Two of the 14 arrested, Doug and Carla Conigliaro, of Dedham, who owned a 55 percent stake in NECC, are being charged with violating an order issued after the deadly meningitis outbreak and transferring more than $33 million worth of assets.

The indictment charges Carla Conigliaro, the majority shareholder of NECC, and her husband Douglas Conigliaro with transferring assets following the fungal meningitis outbreak. The indictment charges that after NECC declared bankruptcy, and the bankruptcy court ordered the shareholders not to transfer assets, Carla and Doug Conigliaro transferred approximately $33.3 million to eight different bank accounts opened after the NECC bankruptcy.

Arraignments will be in federal court in Boston later today.

The outbreak was caused by contaminated vials of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 751 patients in 20 states were diagnosed with a fungal infection after receiving injections of NECC’s MPA. Of those 751 patients, the CDC reported that 64 patients in nine states died.

Twelve other individuals, all associated with NECC, including six other pharmacists, the director of operations, the national sales director, an unlicensed pharmacy technician, two of NECC’s owners, and one other individual were charged with additional crimes including racketeering, mail fraud, conspiracy, contempt, structuring and violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

The other individuals charged in the indictment are:

• Glenn A. Chin, 46, of Canton
• Gene Svirskiy, 33, of Ashland
• Christopher M. Leary, 30, of Shrewsbury
• Joseph M. Evanosky, 42, of Westford
• Scott M. Connolly, 42, of East Greenwich, R.I.
• Sharon P. Carter, 50, of Hopkinton
• Alla V. Stepanets, 34, of Framingham
• Robert A. Ronzio, 40, of North Providence, R.I.
• Kathy Chin, 42, of Canton
• Michelle Thomas, 31 of Cumberland, R.I.

Photos: Doug and Carla Conigliaro, courtesy of the Dedham Police Department.