‘Internet says ‘addiction sucks’ as NBA YoungBoy gets arrested for involvement in prescription fraud ring

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: Rapper NBA YoungBoy, whose legal name is Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, has been charged with 63 counts during his recent arrest for  alleged involvement in a “large-scale prescription fraud ring".

Following his initial arrest on Tuesday, April 16, the rapper was charged with 63 counts in his alleged involvement in the prescription scandal on Wednesday, April 17, per KUTV.

As per recent reports, Gaulden, who was taken into custody by the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, would pose as a fake doctor to obtain prescriptions of Promethazine with Codeine at pharmacies throughout Cache County, per KTVX. Per the police, the medicine is a “heavily abused” cough suppressant.

The 24-year-old rapper has reportedly even used a 74-year-old woman’s medical credentials to obtain the prescriptions.

NBA YoungBoy called up multiple pharmacies in Utah

According to the outlet, the rapper allegedly called a Hyrum pharmacy in September 2023 and used the 74-year-old woman’s credentials to obtain the drug.

He also reportedly posed as a physician from the Provo area and provided actual details of the physician. However, the pharmacist found it amiss as the number provided by the caller did not match the number from where the call came.

When the pharmacist called up the doctor, he said he didn't call in the prescription while adding the same thing “happened several times” that day.

Per KUTV, the rapper and his associates would allegedly call in the pharmacies for fraudulent prescriptions under the real doctors’ names using fake patient credentials. The alleged associates would then pick up the prescriptions.

One such pharmacist - Erik Stewart from Reed’s Pharmacy in Hyrum - claimed to have seen the red flags in the method.

Stewart shared with KUTV, "I'm just happy that they were able to connect the dots," before adding, "Some of the younger people that I work with here know who he is.” He continued, “I have never heard of him."

He said that when he got a call from a person claiming to be doctor to fill a prescription, he was suspicious.

Stewart explained, "Usually, you don't get a doctor calling in a cough syrup themselves. That'll be like a nurse or something – but then, just their medical terminology was off the quantities,."

He added, “The way they pronounced the things – everything was suspicious."

"The bigger problem, honestly, would be the fact that these medications they're trying to get are regulated, and so throwing a chink in the process can really disrupt potential opportunities to get the medication you actually need,” continued the pharmacist. 

Following his arrest, the rapper was booked into Cache County Jail and denied bail. He reportedly faces a total of 63 counts in charges - 20 counts of identity fraud, 20 counts of obtaining a prescription under false pretenses, 20 counts of forgery, and one count each of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity and possession of a controlled substance, per XXL Mag.

Internet reacts to NBA YoungBoy's sensational arrest

NBA YoungBoy's arrest for his alleged involved in the prescription fraud ring has shocked social media users and his fans alike.

One user said, "This is what addiction looks like .. imagine wanting to get high so bad to the point where you have to fake using a 74 year old woman’s information 😭."

Someone else quipped, "Imagine having a normal day at work and NBA Youngboy pulls up in a doctors uniform just for codeine."

"The pharmacist seeing NBA Youngboy pose as a 74 year old granny to get some wocky," joked one user while adding an image.

Someone else explained, "Authorities say NBA Youngboy was pretending to be a doctor over the phone with them while he was allegedly running a prescription drug scheme, they knew something was up when he said "axe" instead of "ask"."

"This carries so much jail time…he got those drug addict eyes too," remarked another user.

A comment read, "This is what we call a drug addiction ladies and gentlemen."

Someone else chimed in, "Wow, NBA YoungBoy trying his hand at medicine now? Using a 74-year-old woman's credentials for cough syrup prescriptions? Quite the career pivot!"

Meanwhile, a concerned fan asked, "Boy what you doin'?"

Another user said, "Impressive creativity! Sounds like he's got some method acting skills off the stage. 🏥."

"Addiction sucks. With that said, I’m pretty shocked with his fame and money, he had to resort to this," exclaimed another fan. 

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