the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Fair Lawn, NJ – New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced that the State Board of Medical Examiners has temporarily suspended the medical license of Dr. Ritesh Kalra, a Bergen County internist, after he was charged with illegally distributing opioids and soliciting sexual favors from patients in exchange for prescriptions.
Kalra, who practiced in Fair Lawn, also faces federal charges of Medicaid fraud for billing for visits that never occurred, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
License Suspension and Federal Investigation
On August 6, 2025, Kalra agreed to the temporary suspension of his medical license and his New Jersey Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) Registration, which allowed him to prescribe controlled substances. The suspension will remain in effect pending the outcome of the criminal case and further Board action.
“These are alarming allegations that represent the worst kind of abuse of the trust placed in a member of the medical profession,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Public safety demands that this physician have no professional contact with the public while the criminal case moves forward.”
Elizabeth M. Harris, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, added, “When a doctor is charged with a criminal offense, especially related to patient treatment, their judgment and ability to practice medicine come into question. This suspension protects patients and upholds the standards of the medical profession.”
Alleged ‘Pill Mill’ and Sexual Misconduct
Federal prosecutors allege that between January 2019 and February 2025, Kalra operated a pill mill from his medical office, routinely prescribing high-dose opioids—such as oxycodone and promethazine with codeine—to patients he allegedly knew were misusing or diverting the drugs.
Investigators claim Kalra issued more than 31,000 oxycodone prescriptions, sometimes writing over 50 in a single day. One patient allegedly continued receiving opioid prescriptions from him while incarcerated, without any in-person visits.
Multiple former employees reported that female patients accused Kalra of sexual misconduct, including demands for oral sex and other sexual acts in exchange for opioid prescriptions. One patient alleged repeated sexual assaults during clinical appointments.
Court Appearance and Practice Closure
Kalra made his first federal court appearance on July 17, 2025, in Newark. He was released under home incarceration with a $100,000 unsecured bond. As part of his release conditions, Kalra was ordered to close his practice by July 31, 2025, and is barred from practicing medicine or prescribing drugs while the case is pending.
The State is represented by Deputy Attorney General Lydwin Nonez, under the supervision of Section Chief Doreen A. Hafner of the Professional Boards Prosecution Section, within the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Practice Group of the Division of Law.
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