Chicago nurse charged with handing out fake Ozempic

CHICAGO - A Chicago nurse is accused of giving out fake Ozempic, the popular weight-loss drug.

What we know:

Federal prosecutors say Sharon Christine Sackman distributed counterfeit Ozempic to three people in Chicago in 2023.

According to court filings, the drugs were labeled as Ozempic but not made by Novo Nordisk, the company that manufactures the medication, and they did not contain semaglutide, the drug’s active ingredient.

Prosecutors said Sackman was a registered professional nurse at the time of the distribution but not licensed to prescribe, administer, dispense or sell Ozempic.

She is charged with one count of distributing misbranded drugs and three counts of dispensing counterfeit drugs. Each count carries a possible sentence of up to one year in federal prison.

She pleaded not guilty during her arraignment in federal court in Chicago on Tuesday.

Prosecutors noted that Sackman, 52, currently lives in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

What's next:

A status hearing on the case is scheduled for Feb. 3.