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I'm the author of the New York Times Magazine article about Insys

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Evan Hughes

Guest
I am the journalist who wrote the NYT Magazine article about Insys that has been published online and will appear in the print magazine this Sunday: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/02/magazine/money-issue-insys-opioids-kickbacks.html. I plan to keep reporting on this story and welcome feedback. If you feel there is missing information or context I should know about or have something to add, I'd love to hear about it. If you think I got things wrong, I'd like to know that too. If you would like to communicate off the record or on background, that is of course an option. I can be reached at evanhughes@gmail.com and by phone -- or by iMessage/Signal/text -- at 917-538-3096. —Evan Hughes
 








Evan, notably absent from your well-researched story is the connection between Heather Alfonso, Natalie Levine Babich, and Mike Babich. This is a critical part of the story.
 








Missing from the Awerbuch details is info on his Insys sales rep, Brett Szymanski. Brett had ONE JOB while at Insys and it was calling on Awerbuch. Awerbuch ended up being such a big writer for Insys that Brett was the highest paid rep for the company- and they brought him up on stage at the NSM and gave him a giant poster-sized bonus check of $1 million dollars. You can't make this stuff up. This company has always exemplified the "catch me if you can" attitude and complete disregard for law, ethics and regard for human decency.
 








Another interesting angle is how wall street has always propped up this morally-defunct institution. Idiots like Dave Steinberg at Jefferies and Ken Trbovich at Janney still have buy ratings on the stock and allow the company to perpetuate the fraud. They should be held accountable too! Only the most naive or intellectually dishonest could have a buy rating on this stock now.
 




I've been in pharma tooooo long and can tell you that speech was incredibly awesome. It taught a valuable lesson and was very much aligned with what the sales force needed to hear for once!. Clearly you were not listening. The guy is an incredible speaker, motivator, and leader. All the shit he has taken lately, I have to hand it to him. He is far stronger than I and you. Not an easy time for him right now, but he will prevail. Even if that means doing prison time.


anonymous said:
Have you read Burlakoff's speech given at the NSM? That might be useful to touch upon.
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It was a check for 100k you nimkompoop! This is why you can believe the shit they wrtite in the papers! Their sources are horrific as it pertains to credibility. The journalists don't even verify their sources . Ie. Tim Neely


anonymous said:
Missing from the Awerbuch details is info on his Insys sales rep, Brett Szymanski. Brett had ONE JOB while at Insys and it was calling on Awerbuch. Awerbuch ended up being such a big writer for Insys that Brett was the highest paid rep for the company- and they brought him up on stage at the NSM and gave him a giant poster-sized bonus check of $1 million dollars. You can't make this stuff up. This company has always exemplified the "catch me if you can" attitude and complete disregard for law, ethics and regard for human decency.
Click to expand...
 








anonymous said:
Missing from the Awerbuch details is info on his Insys sales rep, Brett Szymanski. Brett had ONE JOB while at Insys and it was calling on Awerbuch. Awerbuch ended up being such a big writer for Insys that Brett was the highest paid rep for the company- and they brought him up on stage at the NSM and gave him a giant poster-sized bonus check of $1 million dollars. You can't make this stuff up. This company has always exemplified the "catch me if you can" attitude and complete disregard for law, ethics and regard for human decency.
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What was the date of that NSM, do you recall?
 








Evan Hughes said:
I'm listening... You have my contact info.
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In brief:

Heather Alfonso was the first medical professional to be charged by the feds under the anti-kickback statutes for the speaker payments received from Insys.

Her sole Insys rep was a nice gal named Natalie Levine. She was impregnated by the company CEO, Mike Babich.

Natalie and Mike then got married. Natalie and Mike were charged by the Feds. Natalie has pled guilty and is cooperating with the Feds. Mike is slated to go to trial next year.

The remaining juicy details you can find for yourself.
 




This sh*t is f*cking hilarious! Can’t wait to see all these arrogant a**holes go down HARD! Esp RICH SIMON! F*ck You, you little midget POS. Only surfing you’ll be doing now is the rim of your cell mates a**hole. Babich, your a certified idiot. F*cking S Sadraie, the HR director and Director of compliance couldn’t keep your d*ck in your pants?! Had to get it in NL and drag kids into this big mess?! Biggest douche Dad award def goes to YOU! My ONLY question is why this is taking so dam long. This whole scam was simple and glaringly obvious to ALL. Kapoor hired a stupid young fool to play CEO all while Kapoor knew very well what the hell the plan was. Kapoor to FIELD management ARE ALL GUILTY! Check emails/texts and bank accounts, you don’t have to go far! If you didn’t partake or at least “pretend” to your a** was on the chopping block. Plain and simple. Signed- a previous Rep that knows just about EVERYTHING about this sh*t hole company!
 








anonymous said:
In brief:

Heather Alfonso was the first medical professional to be charged by the feds under the anti-kickback statutes for the speaker payments received from Insys.

Her sole Insys rep was a nice gal named Natalie Levine. She was impregnated by the company CEO, Mike Babich.

Natalie and Mike then got married. Natalie and Mike were charged by the Feds. Natalie has pled guilty and is cooperating with the Feds. Mike is slated to go to trial next year.

The remaining juicy details you can find for yourself.
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Thanks, I am familiar with all the above but curious what more there might be to it.
 




anonymous said:
I'll send you a transcript provided from the speechwriter if you provide a NYT email address.
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Thank you. I have seen the text of the Burlakoff speech. I was referring to the NSM where BS is said to have received a check on stage. Perhaps it was the same NSM. I just wanted to know the approximate date when that occurred.
 












Evan Hughes said:
Please hurry. I need to get my new article out soon. I can compensate you for your side of the story. $$$$
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Funny spoof. I guess I should have created an account on this board (if that’s possible?), rather than typing in my name. Some outlets pay sources, but the New York Times does not. I write for other publications (GQ, Wired, New York, etc) and have never paid a source. If anyone would like to verify that I am the author of the article and reachable at evanhughes@gmail.com (which would be understandable), please call the New York Times at 212-556-1234 and ask to speak to one of my editors at the magazine section, such as Luke Mitchell. I do not have an nytimes.com email address because, like many writers for the magazine, I am not a full-time staffer at the Times.
 




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