Incidentcase50

charged with stealing roughly 20,000 doses of addictive drugs over several years from his workplace. Grothaus is accused of stealing five types of drugs, mostly the sedative zolpidem (sold under the brand name Ambien) and the opioid painkiller tramadol (brand name Ultram).

An internal investigation by HealthPartners at the two Park Nicollet pharmacies in July 2016 found unusually large adjustments to the stores’ inventory.

On June 15, 2016, for example, an adjustment for 500 tablets of Zolpidem was entered into the computer at the Wayzata pharmacy. However, a search of all HealthPartners/Park Nicollet pharmacies failed to show those 500 pills turning up somewhere else.

The adjustment was made at a pharmacy technician’s computer station. However, store video showed Grothaus at that station. Video also showed Grothaus taking an item, slipping it into his pocket, then removing it from his pocket and putting it in his work locker.

Five months later, Grothaus admitted in writing that he began stealing drugs in June or July of 2012.