Joan Rubinger built a high-profile sports medicine practice serving professional athletes and other clients. Federal authorities now say the nurse practitioner ran an improper prescription operation that distributed hundreds of thousands of controlled-substance pills and took steps to avoid detection by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The DEA revoked Rubinger’s registrations to prescribe controlled substances in July, citing what the agency characterized as egregious misconduct. The action followed a separate civil settlement in which Rubinger agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that she violated the Controlled Substances Act on at least 900 occasions. The Justice Department said the settlement did not constitute an admission of liability by Rubinger.
Federal authorities have not charged Rubinger criminally in connection with the allegations.
From elite athlete to sports medicine specialist
Rubinger, 49, built a career around sports medicine after competing in gymnastics and later participating in rowing and pole vaulting at Syracuse University.
She founded All Pro Sports Medicine around 2010 and developed a clientele that included professional athletes. Her website promoted a roster that she said included NFL Pro Bowl selections, NBA and WNBA champions and Olympic medalists.
Among the athletes publicly associated with her practice were NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, NFL players Drew Brees and Saquon Barkley, MLB players Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., and former Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis.
There is no indication in the federal records that those athletes committed wrongdoing simply because they were clients of Rubinger. Tatis told The Associated Press that his treatment involved hydration and related services and that he was unaware of the allegations against Rubinger.
Rubinger also became known for “The Goo,” a topical pain-relief product she marketed to athletes.
What federal authorities allege
According to a Justice Department complaint filed in federal court, Rubinger operated a mobile medical practice between November 2019 and June 2024 and frequently met customers in locations such as hotel rooms.
The government alleged that she issued controlled-substance prescriptions without legitimate medical purposes, sometimes without establishing a conventional provider-patient relationship or conducting adequate examinations.
The Justice Department said the alleged conduct involved more than 900 prescriptions and hundreds of thousands of pills, primarily oxycodone, Xanax and Adderall, distributed to people in more than 20 states.
The Associated Press, citing newly unsealed federal records, reported that the DEA alleged Rubinger prescribed approximately 260,000 controlled-substance pills during the period investigated.
Federal authorities also alleged that some prescriptions were written in the names of people who were not the intended recipients.
DEA says Rubinger attempted to avoid detection
Investigators alleged that Rubinger created a set of instructions for new clients called “THE RULES.”
According to the Justice Department, the instructions included measures intended to reduce attention from the DEA. Authorities also alleged that Rubinger collected payment in advance and communicated with clients through an encrypted messaging application.
The Justice Department’s 2025 complaint alleged that Rubinger provided customers with price lists for controlled substances and issued prescriptions after receiving payment.
The DEA later concluded that her conduct was serious enough to make her untrustworthy to hold federal registrations allowing her to prescribe controlled substances. The agency’s July order revoked her DEA registrations and denied pending applications involving controlled-substance registration.
Thomas Davis case helped trigger the investigation
The DEA investigation began in 2022 after Kelly Davis, the then-wife of former NFL linebacker Thomas Davis, raised concerns about prescriptions associated with her husband.
According to the federal records and AP reporting, Kelly Davis discovered that prescriptions had been issued in her name despite her not being the intended recipient.
Federal authorities alleged that Thomas Davis received more than 13,000 oxycodone and Percocet pills from Rubinger between November 2019 and March 2024.
Davis has since publicly discussed his struggle with opioid addiction and said it contributed to the breakdown of his marriage. He has also taken responsibility for his own substance use.
The allegations involving Davis do not establish that he knowingly participated in any illegal prescription scheme.
Rubinger agreed to a $1.4 million civil settlement
In April 2026, the Justice Department announced that Rubinger had agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that she violated the Controlled Substance Act.
The settlement covered alleged conduct between November 2019 and June 2024. It also permanently barred Rubinger from dispensing or prescribing controlled substances, directly or indirectly, under the terms announced by the Justice Department.
The government explicitly stated that the claims resolved through the settlement were allegations and that there had been no determination of liability.
Rubinger did not admit wrongdoing as part of the agreement.
Why the case matters
The case highlights the safeguards surrounding controlled substances and the risks federal authorities associate with prescriptions issued outside established medical practices.
It also raises questions about how a practitioner can develop a high-profile clientele while federal regulators allege that prescription practices were occurring outside accepted standards.
Rubinger’s case did not result in criminal charges. Federal prosecutors have not publicly explained why the matter was resolved through civil and administrative proceedings rather than a criminal prosecution.
The DEA’s action, however, means Rubinger can no longer use her federal registrations to prescribe controlled substances.
For patients and professional athletes, the case also underscores the importance of documented medical relationships, appropriate examinations and legitimate medical indications when controlled medications are prescribed.
What’s next
The DEA’s revocation is now the central federal regulatory action against Rubinger concerning her authority to prescribe controlled substances.
The $1.4 million civil settlement separately resolved the Justice Department’s claims concerning alleged violations of federal controlled-substance laws.
The available federal records do not establish that every athlete or other person who received treatment from Rubinger was involved in unlawful conduct. The allegations concern specific prescription practices and should not be generalized to her entire clientele.
Federal records and AP reporting provide the basis for the allegations described in this article. Any additional criminal proceedings or professional disciplinary actions would need to be confirmed independently.
This article describes allegations made by federal authorities and does not imply criminal guilt where no criminal conviction has occurred.
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