A Cambridge man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday for manufacturing millions of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine using illegal chemicals from suppliers in China, as well as defrauding a pandemic paycheck aid program of $40,000, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Schuyler Oppenheimer, 35, is charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of wire fraud, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office.
Oppenheimer, who also went by the aliases “SK” and “Michael Sylvain” is scheduled to be sentenced April 17, federal prosecutors said.
A July 2024 search on Parker Street in Cambridge recovered over five kilograms of suspected fake Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine along with a loaded firearm, which Oppenheimer was prohibited from possessing based on prior felony convictions, Foley’s office said.
During investigations, law enforcement discovered equipment and recipes, Oppenheimer may have used to make fentanyl and counterfeit drugs, according to the statement.
Since 2019, Oppenheimer could have made millions of pills based on invoices showing he purchased over 200 kilograms of pill filler powders, the statement said.
Additionally, investigators found that he communicated about purchasing illegal chemicals for synthesizing fentanyl from a supplier in China, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Oppenheimer received $40,000 through two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans, meant to go to small businesses struggling during the pandemic, which he applied for in April, 2021, the statement said.
Oppenheimer was arrested and charged in July, 2024 and indicted that August, Foley’s office said.
Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine has a sentence of at least ten years and up to life in prison, five years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million, the statement said.
The charge of wire fraud has a penalty of up 20 years, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
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