Not long after federal authorities arrested twelve Fayette, Mississippi residents on charges of fraud relating to the fen-phen settlement (see Sept. 1, 2004 and Oct. 3, 2003), three of the arrestees agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with the probe. All of the twelve “are accused of receiving at least $250,000 [each] in settlement funds through false prescriptions, netting about $150,000 after attorney fees and expenses.” (Jimmie E. Gates, “3 plead guilty in Fen-Phen probe”, Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Sept. 22). “A Jefferson County jury had awarded $150 million to five people who claimed fen-phen gave them heart and lung problems,” and there had followed a $400 million settlement with nearly 800 people nationwide. Included in that sum were high payments to many claimants from Jefferson County, which includes Fayette, who said they had taken the diet compound. (Denise Grones, “12 Charged With Fraud in $400 Million Fen-Phen Settlement”, AP/Law.com, Sept. 2). At least one of the twelve has protested her innocence and says she really did take the drug (Jerry Mitchell, “Fen-Phen arrests revive rap on county”, Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Sept. 5).
Another tidbit from the last-mentioned article: “A few years ago, the roof collapsed at the Family Dollar store in Fayette. A handful of people were shopping there at the time, but dozens who weren’t showed up in the emergency room for treatment.”
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