Receptionist at doctor's office charged with stealing nearly 18,000 pills

A trusted employee at an Armstrong County medical office lost her job and now faces jail time, accused of stealing thousands of prescription pills.

Channel 11 was the only one there as Susan Zoeller of Leechburg turned herself in on Thursday.

She had nothing to say to our camera, but a lengthy attorney general’s investigation charges Zoeller has been writing fake pain pill prescriptions for herself and others since 2012.

Channel 11 has learned Zoeller, who was fired just last week, was a 20-year employee at Landreneau Thoracic Surgical Center, which is affiliated with and on the campus of Armstrong County Memorial Hospital.

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She was not only the receptionist, but also the sister-in-law of the doctor.

According to the criminal complaint, the office manager – also a nurse – noticed irregularities about seven months ago, like prescriptions being filled for people who weren't patients.

According to the police paperwork, when confronted by office and hospital personnel, Zoeller admitted to prescribing the medications not only for herself but also for her neighbor. She told them she was taking and not selling the prescriptions she obtained for herself, and that it snowballed from there. She told them she was not addicted to narcotics and did not need help.

According to the criminal complaint, Zoeller stole almost 18,000 pills, 9,200 of them opioid pain pills, with a street value of $80,000.

Officials charged Zoeller with theft by deception and insurance fraud and say no one at the office knew she was writing false prescriptions until seven months ago. Agents say Zoeller no longer works at the office and commend the staff for noticing the illegal behavior and calling it in.

In court Thursday, Channel 11 learned Zoeller is completing an inpatient drug treatment program. She could be looking at more than 10 years behind bars.

Cox Media Group