Ruthia He, the founder and former CEO of Done Global, a digital health company, has been sentenced to six years in prison. This sentence follows her conviction in November for charges related to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Prosecutors argued that Done Global's business model, which offered rapid online ADHD assessments and emphasized quick evaluations, constituted a "pill mill" scheme.
He's conviction stems from a multi-year operation where Done Global facilitated the distribution of over 40 million Adderall and other stimulant pills. The company allegedly used deceptive advertising on social media, spending over $40 million, to target individuals seeking easy access to stimulants, often by convincing them they had ADHD during the COVID-19 pandemic. The business model reportedly prioritized profits over patient care, with practices such as limiting initial appointments to less than half the length of a typical psychiatric examination and refusing to pay for follow-up treatments.
In addition to the illegal drug distribution, He and clinical president David Brody were also convicted of conspiring to commit healthcare fraud. They allegedly defrauded Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers of approximately $14 million by submitting false claims. These claims falsely stated that Done followed the DSM-5 for ADHD diagnoses, used urine drug screens, and that non-stimulants had been tried unsuccessfully. He was also convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice, with evidence showing she attempted to move operations to China, use encrypted messaging, and delete incriminating documents. Brody's sentencing is set for February 25, 2026, and he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for his role in the scheme.
Authorities stated that Done's practices not only generated over $100 million in revenue but also exacerbated a national Adderall shortage, affecting legitimate patients. The case against He and Brody is one of the most aggressive prosecutions of a health startup founder in recent years, signaling increased regulatory scrutiny on digital health companies that handle prescription medications, especially controlled substances like Adderall. The aggressive prosecution aims to send a clear message about federal oversight as telehealth expands across the country, emphasizing that innovation must not compromise patient safety or professional integrity.
The charges highlight how He and Brody allegedly exploited emergency flexibilities during the COVID-19 public health emergency to provide easy access to controlled substances for non-medical reasons. They are accused of hiring doctors who were not overly concerned about drug-seeking patients and structuring compensation based on patient load rather than time spent, encouraging a lack of thorough clinical review. The auto-refill policy, where patients could receive prescriptions without clinical interaction for years, even resulted in prescriptions being issued for deceased patients in some instances.
