Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend, doctors charged with suppling drugs

Anna Nicole Smith's attorney and boyfriend as well as two doctors were charged with supplying drugs to the US model, who overdosed in 2007, news reports said.

Lawyer Howard K Stern, 40, and physicians Sandeep Kapoor, 40, and Khristine Eroshevich, 61, were charged Thursday with prescribing controlled substances, obtaining fraudulent prescriptions and conspiracy to supply an addict with controlled substances.

Prosecutors accused the trio of doing so beginning nearly three years before Smith's death in Florida at the age of 39.

"These individuals furnished thousands of prescription pills to Anna Nicole Smith, often for no legitimate medical purpose," California Attorney General Jerry Brown said in a statement.

"She was obviously addicted," Brown added. "These doctors had a medical obligation to prescribe medicine in a professional way. Evidence will show this did not happen."

The doctors were also charged with making out fraudulent prescriptions and Stern was accused of funnelling the drugs to the former Playboy playmate and reality television star.

Stern and Kapoor were arrested Thursday, and Eroshevich was expected to turn herself in Monday, Brown said.

Prescriptions for sleeping pills and muscle relaxers were found in the hotel room where Smith was found unconscious before being pronounced dead. Most of the prescriptions were in Stern's name.

Via efluxmedia.com