You’ll want to know what happened, who was involved, and how this could affect trust in pediatric care — fast. A pediatric resident at a major Seattle hospital admitted diverting fentanyl and other narcotics meant for infants and young patients, and federal authorities charged him after hospital staff reported suspicious activity.
The piece walks through the timeline of the diversion, how hospital personnel uncovered it, and the steps prosecutors and regulators took in response. Expect clear details about the alleged incidents, the criminal plea and sentence, and the institutional changes prompted by the case.
This story matters to anyone concerned about patient safety and oversight in healthcare; it shows how oversight, whistleblowing, and federal investigation intersect when controlled substances go missing.
Details of the Diversion Case
The case centers on a resident physician accused of taking powerful pain medicines meant for patients and sometimes using them while on duty. Investigators say the alleged actions affected infants and adults across multiple UW-affiliated hospitals.
How Authorities Discovered the Diversion
Colleagues at Seattle Children’s Hospital grew suspicious after noticing unusual medication documentation and patient responses during shifts where Dr. Andrew Voegel-Podadera worked. Other clinicians reported inconsistencies in waste returns and atypical dosing patterns that did not match clinical notes.
The DEA Seattle Diversion Group received a formal report in January 2025, which led to a joint investigation with hospital safety officers. Hospital pharmacy records and returned-waste testing showed syringes labeled as fentanyl or hydromorphone contained saline instead of the expected narcotics, prompting law enforcement involvement. The investigation then expanded to include the University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center.
Timeline of Key Incidents
January 2025: A report to the DEA Seattle Diversion Group flagged suspicious activity tied to the resident’s handling of controlled substances at Seattle hospitals.
February 2025: Investigators determined the alleged diversion extended beyond Seattle Children’s to UW Medicine and Harborview.
December 27, 2024 (examined during the probe): Prosecutors highlighted a shift when multiple pediatric patients received what later-tested as saline in place of fentanyl and hydromorphone.
Subsequent months: Pharmacy audits, laboratory analysis of returned waste, and interviews with staff produced evidence used in the criminal complaint and federal charges for acquiring controlled substances by fraud.
This sequence underscores how internal reporting, pharmacy testing, and coordinated federal investigation moved from suspicion to formal charges.
Pain Medications Involved in the Case
Investigators identified several controlled substances the complaint says were diverted: fentanyl, hydromorphone, remifentanil, and sufentanil. Officials also cited other agents found in his records, including dexmedetomidine, ketorolac, and occasional benzodiazepines.
Prosecutors allege Voegel-Podadera drew full doses, administered a partial amount to patients—sometimes infants—and withheld the remainder for his use. The hospital’s wastage testing detected absence of fentanyl and hydromorphone in syringes that had been labeled and returned as unused, supporting claims of diversion. These findings formed key evidentiary links in the criminal complaint and ensuing federal case.
Legal Actions and Institutional Response
The case involves federal criminal charges, immediate administrative actions that restrict prescribing, and coordinated investigative work by multiple federal agencies and hospital officials. Authorities allege diversion of potent opioids from infant patients and rapid steps were taken to suspend prescribing privileges and open criminal proceedings.
Criminal Charges and DOJ Involvement
Prosecutors filed two counts alleging he acquired controlled substances by misrepresentation and fraud, tied to incidents dating back to January 2024. The complaint alleges diversion of fentanyl, remifentanil, sufentanil, hydromorphone and other controlled drugs while he treated pediatric patients.
The matter became part of the 2025 Department of Justice National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, bringing the Western District of Washington into coordination with DOJ fraud resources. The complaint stresses that charges are allegations and the defendant retains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty at trial.
Federal court filings record the DEA Seattle Diversion Group and the DEA Seattle Field Division as primary investigative units working alongside the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations. The filing led to an arrest and an initial hearing at the federal courthouse.
Hospital and University Actions
Seattle Children’s Hospital flagged anomalous behavior — delays in the operating room and excessive draws of fentanyl — prompting immediate internal reviews. When testing of returned waste syringes showed saline rather than the ordered drug, hospital leadership escalated to the University of Washington medical school and UW Medicine compliance teams.
UW Medicine and the University of Washington Medical Center reviewed clinical records and staffing logs across departments, including Harborview Medical Center shifts where the physician worked. Administrative steps included reporting to federal investigators and supporting an Immediate Suspension Order that revoked his controlled-substance prescribing privileges on June 12, 2025.
The institutions emphasized patient safety, initiated additional diversion-detection audits, and notified affected units. They also cooperated with investigators while limiting comments publicly to protect patient privacy and the integrity of the probe.
DEA and Law Enforcement Intervention
The DEA Seattle Diversion Group led field-level diversion detection, coordinating arrests and evidence collection with the DEA Seattle Field Division. Agents executed investigative measures at clinical sites and the physician’s residence as part of a multijurisdictional probe.
Investigators documented alleged tampering and diversion involving pediatric operating rooms and traced activity to shifts at Seattle Children’s, UW Medicine facilities, and Harborview. The DEA worked with the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations to analyze waste syringes and chain-of-custody for controlled substances.
Law enforcement action included serving the Immediate Suspension Order, arrest on June 24, 2025, and integration of the matter into broader Department of Justice health-care fraud enforcement efforts in the Western District of Washington. Court processes will determine criminal liability according to federal statute for obtaining controlled substances by fraud.
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