"Pediatrician Faces Charges for Exchanging Drugs for Sex and Cash"

Dr. Craig Spiegel, a Bridgeton pediatrician, is accused of exchanging drug prescriptions for sex or cash with at least 25 women over nearly a decade, illegally writing over 1,200 prescriptions with no legitimate medical reason and providing more than 73,000 pills, including highly addictive drugs. The charges include instances of sexual coercion, violence, and inappropriate behavior with patients, some of whom were former child patients. Spiegel faces federal charges of illegally distributing drugs, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years, and prosecutors have requested that he be detained throughout court proceedings.