Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

An indictment was recently filed against Dr. Phil Astin III, previously a personal physician to a number of professional wrestlers in the Atlanta area including most notably, Chris Benoit. Astin faces 175 federal counts of illegal prescription abuse to 17 different patients. At least six of these patients are believed to be professional wrestlers.

Perhaps the most notable thing is that even though the government claimed Astin had prescribed ten months worth of steroids to Chris Benoit every three to four weeks for one year between May 2006 and May 2007 (and somehow, someway never failing a WWE drug test along the way), none of the counts regard anabolic steroid usage. Astin was largely known in the Atlanta sports community for prescribing anabolic steroids to athletes, and not exclusively to ones in the area.

The government is going after Astin for prescribing drugs without often examining patients thoroughly. The indictment said that in one instance, drugs prescribed by Astin resulted in the death of a patient, believed to be former professional wrestler Mike "Johnny Grunge" Durham. Although, none of the counts in the indictment were related to Durham even though he was prescribed heavy doses of somas in the days before his untimely death in February 2006 at the age of 39.

The 17 patients are referred to by their initials in the indictment. Two of the patients are Oscar Gutierrez, better known as Rey Mysterio, as well as former WWE wrestler Mark Jindrak, as the indictment includes previous charges related to distributing painkillers and other drugs to them last July. When questioned about his involvement with Astin during an appearance on Fox News' Red Eye program last August promoting his wrestling return at SummerSlam a few days later, Mysterio said he was prescribed pain medication from Astin due to six knee operations. He also denied ever using steroids. Jindrak is currently living in Mexico City, Mexico, competing for the CMLL promotion under the name Marco Corleone.

Also listed in the indictment are the initials CMB and NEB, likely referring to Christopher Michael Benoit and Nancy Elizabeth Benoit. The initials MAB and RWH are also listed and believed to be well known pro wrestlers. MAB appears to be Buff Bagwell, who's real name is Marcus Alexander Bagwell. RWH is believed to be one-half of the current WWE World Tag Team Champions, Hardcore Holly, who's real name is Robert William Howard. Last July, ABCNews.com reported that along with Benoit, Jindrak, and Gutierrez, Bagwell and Holly had their medical records seized by federal agents from Dr. Phil Astin's office. Lex Luger was also named in ABC's report, but no charges regarding him were filed in the indictment.