Former Steelers Doctor Charged
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) --- Dr. Richard Rydze is in federal custody after being indicted on 185 counts.
Rydze is charged with conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids, Oxycontin and Oxycodone -- along with healthcare fraud and obstruction of justice.
The indictment, unsealed today, says Dr. Rydze would conduct "steroid clinics"' and prescribe steroids to patients for bogus reasons for $75 dollars per prescription.
The indictment says Dr. Rydze prescribed steroids after diagnosing more than 90 patients with Dwarfism -- even though some were 6 feet tall.
The indictment goes on to say that Dr. Rydze prescribed massive amounts of Vicodin to other patients. He faces obstruction of justice charges for trying to persuade patients to give false statements.
The indictment also says that many of his patients were athletes however in a 2009 interview with ESPN, Dr. Rydze said he never gave steroids or human growth hormones to any Steelers players.
Dr. Rydze worked with the Steelers for 20 years until he and the team parted ways in 2007.
Dr. Rydze faced a detention hearing today in Federal court but that hearing was suspended until Monday. He'll remain in federal custody until that time.
If convicted, Rydze faces a maximum of more than 100 years in prison and fines in the millions of dollars.
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