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TUCSON - A Tucson podiatrist and two of her employees have been accused of writing fraudulent prescriptions and getting them filled at local pharmacies.

Dr. Corina Hollander has been charged with conspiracy, three counts of fraud, eight counts of trafficking in the identity of another person, forgery, 68 counts of obtaining a narcotic drug by fraud, and nine counts of obtaining a dangerous drug by fraud by the Attorney General's office.

"Abuse of prescription drugs is a serious and often overlooking problem in Arizona," said Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard in a statement to the press.

According to investigators, Hollander used the names of patients and members of her staff's family to write fraudulent prescriptions, then she and two employees would have these prescriptions filled at local pharmacies.

The indictment accuses Dr. Hollander and seven other individuals of "participating in a large-scale prescription drug fraud."

"Medical professionals who abuse the privileges granted to them to prescribe controlled substances are no different than any other drug dealer," said DEA Special Agent Elizabeth Kempshall.

The investigation was a joint effort of the DEA Tucson Tactical Diversion Squad, the Attorney General's Special Investigations Section, the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.