Former nurse practitioner Joan Rubinger was a pain specialist to NFL and NBA players. Her All Pro Sports Medicine provided specialized pain therapy services to top-tier athletes and helped them to get back on the field quicker after a sports injury.
But the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says Rubinger overstepped the limits of her license by writing thousands of illegal prescriptions to NFL and NBA players without a medical reason.
Among some of Rubinger’s most notable patients were NBA All Stars Dwyane Wade (pictured) and the late Kobe Bryant, as well as MLB All Star Fernando Tatis Jr.
When Rubinger broke more than a dozen ribs and injured her spinal cord in a 2015 biking accident, several NBA players, including Wade, wore orange wristbands in her honor on the court.
The feds began investigating Rubinger after the wife of All-Pro Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis alerted the agency to the nurse practitioner’s drug dealing.
Rubinger started prescribing opioids to Davis before he retired after the 2020 season, according to his now ex-wife. Authorities alleged, he received more than 13,000 oxycodone and Percocet pills between November 2019 and March 2024.
The DEA alleged in court filings that Rubinger prescribed highly addictive painkillers to professional athletes.
Federal authorities said she prescribed 260,000 pills containing controlled substances to athletes in more than 20 states.
Last month, the DEA revoked Rubinger’s license to prescribe opioids. In March, Rubinger agreed to pay $1.4 million to settle a Justice Department civil complaint that accused her of dispensing controlled substances like oxycodone, Percocet, and Xanax.
The DOJ said Rubinger distributed illegal pain pills on hundreds of occasions without any legitimate medical purpose. Rubinger did not admit any wrongdoing as part of her settlement.