1-year prison term for Westmont orthopedic practice worker who wrote fake prescriptions

A former administrative assistant at an orthopedic practice in Westmont has been sentenced to one year in federal prison for writing fraudulent opioid prescriptions for an acquaintance. Amanda Biesiada, 39, of Alsip, worked at Hinsdale Orthopaedics. She was not a licensed physician and could not lawfully prescribe medication without the direction and approval of licensed physicians, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

Authorities say Biesiada wrote 85 prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, and other controlled substances for her acquaintance between 2017 to 2019.

Biesiada purported to write them on behalf of six Hinsdale Orthopaedics health care providers and tried to conceal them by marking them as "filed in error" in the practice's prescription system.

Biesiada pleaded guilty on Sept. 1, 2021, to one count of knowingly and intentionally dispensing controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.

She was sentenced on Jan. 14 and must report to prison by Feb. 28.