Bergen County Man Charged With Stealing $7.8 million In HIV Meds

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A Bergen County man is accused of stealing prescription HIV medication from the pharmacy of the East Orange VA Medical Center, according to U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.

Wagner Checonolasco, 33, of Lyndhurst has been charged with conspiracy to steal government property, specifically HIV medication, authorities confirmed

He is currently out of jail on a $250,000 unsecured appearance bond.

According to documents filed in the case, from Jan. 2018 through Nov. 2019, Checonolasco conspired with another person to steal prescription HIV medication from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in East Orange.

Prosecutors said that the conspirator, who was employed as a pharmacy procurement technician at the VAMC pharmacy, placed large orders for HIV medication, purportedly on behalf of VAMC. After the medication was delivered, the conspirator stole it.

Checonolasco and the conspirator met, frequently at the conspirator’s residence, so that Checonolasco could purchase the stolen HIV medication, which he then sold. Checonolasco and the conspirator conspired to steal $7.85 million worth of HIV medications, authorities claimed.

The charge of conspiracy to steal government property is punishable by a potential penalty of five years in prison and fine of a $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater.