Linda Farak is currently in her 60s. Months before Faraks misconduct came to light in 2013, another lab technician named Annie Dookhan was arrested in 2012 after it became apparent that she wasnt even testing the drug evidence; rather, she just marked results as positive so that she could impress her colleagues with her speed and efficiency. Though Farak was arrested in 2013 and sentenced to jail in 2014, the findings from the state's investigation into the scope of her misconduct were just released Tuesday. I think shes a good person, she said. Within a year of working at the new lab, Farak began doing drugs. Netflixs How to Fix a Drug Scandal Story: 5 Fast Facts. The prosecutors have been tied to the drug lab scandal involving disgraced former state chemist Sonja Farak, who admitted to stealing and using drugs from an Amherst state lab. In 2017, Rolando Penate filed a $5.7 million lawsuit against 18 defendants, including Farak. ", "She isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," Carr, who also directed the true-crime documentaries. So she turned to drugs, which . She tested . Farak was in her mid-thirties at the time. How to Fix a Drug Scandal is the staggering true story of justice - Vox By some accounts, she is 68 years old. She's no longer in prison, as Farak has served her sentence. Farak struggled with mental health throughout her life, the documentary series explains. . In high school, she nearly died by suicide, and in college Farak was . The latest true crime offering from Netflix is the documentary series How to Fix a Drug Scandal. It dives into the story of Sonja Farak, a chemist who worked for a Massachusetts state drug lab and got arrested for taking the drugs she was testing as well as tampering with evidence. Farak apparently still tested each caseunlike Annie Dookhan, another Massachusetts chemist who was arrested five months prior to Farak for fabricating test results. Read More: Where is Sonja Farak Sister Now? We were unable to subscribe you to WBUR Today. Luke Ryan: Fixing a Drug Scandal, Just One Cause to Champion Kaczmarek also oversaw the prosecution for the attorney general's office in that case. Very little is known about Farak, the former chemist at the states drug lab, since she has kept a very low profile, even more so after her release from prison. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. Yes, it is so exciting to put a series out and I think the series is well-reported and researched but its something that happened in the midst of her addiction, and she was incredibly embarrassed about it. Before her sentencing, Farak failed a drug test while out on bail, according to Mass Live. By some accounts, she is 68 years old. Deborah Becker Twitter Host/ReporterDeborah Becker is a senior correspondent and host at WBUR. She was sentenced in January 2014 after she pled guilty to four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary, four counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of cocaine possession. PDF United States Court of Appeals I was doing really well, Westcott said. Farak, a chemist, was later convicted of stealing drugs from the state lab in Amherst. Regardless, there's little attention paid to the humanity of the actual chemist . Sonja Farak, a chemist with a longterm mental health struggle, is the catalyst of the story, but it doesn't end with her. Ive been struggling with that, Carr said Its very uncomfortable and I dont know what its been like for her.. 6,000 drug cases linked to "rogue chemist" at Mass. crime lab to be It focuses on some strong female characters: Annie Dookhan, an employee of a forensics drug lab who falsified thousands of drug tests, Sonja Farak, who was convicted of stealing drugs from the lab where she worked, and . Thousands to split $14M in Mass. drug lab scandal settlement Farak pleaded guilty to four counts of tampering with evidence, four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary, and two counts of possession of cocaine in 2014. Who is Sonja Farak, the former state drug lab chemist featured in the show? I think that she was so adept at hiding her addiction for so long, her downfall sort of came as a surprise to her and to everybody.". Farak testified that she started off trying meth in the lab because she was "curious. She admitted that back in college shed research drugs and noted that meth sounded like one she was particularly interested in trying. I think that this is really painful and difficult that her case is getting re-examined in sort of a public way because, you know, when you put things on a network like Netflix, people are going to talk about it.". Judge dismisses 'qualified immunity' claim in suit against ex - WBUR Inwardly though, Sonja was struggling. More than 24,000 convictions have been overturned as a result of her case. Sonja Farak during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown in 2013. "Annie Dookhan and Sonja Farak's crimes undermined the integrity of our justice system and impacted thousands of lives," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said when the settlement was. Carr said shes been horrified to read angry reactions towards Farak over Twitter. April 1, 2020. As a defense attorney, he discusses the importance . Where is Linda Farak Now? - The Cinemaholic The medical records stated that she did not have an existing drug problem that was amplified by her access to more substances. When she tried it she did so when others in the lab went out to lunch it met her expectations. Faraks therapist, Anna Kogan, wrote in her notes that Farak was worried about Nikki finding out about her addiction as well as the possible legal issues if she were ever caught. Sonja got a job as a chemist at the Hinton State Laboratory building in Jamaica Plain after getting her college degree. YouTube If you're on the prowl for . Kaczmarek failed to disclose information and intentionally misrepresented the evidence she had, and worked to actively shut down inquiry and deflect zealous work by Farak defendants counsel who were doing their jobs by requesting evidence of Faraks misconduct, according to the report. "She isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," Carr, who also directed the true-crime documentaries "I Love You, Now Die" and "Mommy Dead and Dearest," told Womens Health. SJC dismisses thousands of drug cases after Amherst lab scandal Audiences also hear from Farak's mother and sister who have never spoken to the press before. . Its unclear if Farak is still with Lee, as they have both remained out of the public eye since the case. However, the Netflix docuseries, How To Fix a Drug Scandal, shows us Sonjas moment of weakness, which led her to experiment with the drugs in evidence. Its no big deal, 14-year-old Farak said to the Panama City News Herald. Farak pleaded guilty in 2014 of stealing drugs and tampering with evidence, setting off a second. Despite being a star child of the family, Sonja suffered from the mental illnesses that haunted her even in adulthood. With the lab's ample drug supply, she was able to sneak the drug each day from a jug that resided in the shared workspace. In Netflixs docuseries we get to hear from her sister, and mother, who give us an insight into Sonjas life, and how her actions impacted them. While Farak kept her drug use isolated to work only at first, her use still spilled out. In 2012, former drug lab chemist Annie Dookhan was arrested for falsifying evidence recovered from alleged drug busts in the state of Massachusetts. I felt amazing.. While Dookhan had tampered with evidence and indulged in dry-labbing, Farak stole from her workplace. Sonja Farak, left, stands during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, Mass. Background. The Amherst Bulletin reported that her medical records indicated that she only became addicted to drugs once she started working at the lab, in 2004. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Criminal. Farak began her drug use by experimenting with liquid methamphetamine, but her addiction quickly grew and she began using other drugs including cocaine, and crack, which she smoked in her drug lab's bathroom, per Rolling Stone. How To Fix A Drug Scandal True Story: What The Documentary Leaves Out In high school, Farak became the first girl to play high school football in the state of Rhode Island and made local headlines. They were all rendered unacceptable. The filmmaker told Oxygen.com that she spent a lot of time thinking about Farak and trying to humanize her. ( 2020-04-01) How to Fix a Drug Scandal is an American true crime documentary miniseries that was released on Netflix on April 1, 2020. Hafsa Quraishi Twitter Associate Producer, Here & NowHafsa Quraishi is an associate producer for Here & Now. Farak saw Kogan in 2009 and 2010, and her therapist wrote: She obtains the drugs from her job at the state drug lab, by taking portions of samples that have come in to be tested., Kogan also wrote that Farak told her she had taken methamphetamines at another lab in an old job, but she didnt get much from it. Kogan wrote that after moving to western [Massachusetts] for her job at the state drug lab, [Farak] tried it again and really liked it. The prosecutors have been tied to the drug lab scandal involving disgraced former state chemist Sonja Farak, who admitted to stealing and using drugs from an Amherst state lab. A Board of Bar Overseers special hearing officer recently issued these findings in a 98-page decision about former assistant attorneys general Anne Kaczmarek, John Verner and Kris Foster. Judge, lawyers: State dragging feet on Amherst drug lab scandal GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. Jasmine Gomez is the Commerce Editor at Womens Health, where she cover the best product recommendations across beauty, health, lifestyle, fitness, and more. In four counties alone, Farak personally . Penate is just one of the thousands of people whose cases were affected by Faraks actions. READ NEXT: Sonja Farak: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. This achievement earned her a full page layout in the local paper and some local TV news coverage. Farak. Where is Farak today? MGB medical residents want to change long hours, low pay and poor benefits. In How to Fix a Drug Scandal on Netflix, Ryan is the primary on-camera interviewee. Who Are Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan? How to Fix a Drug Scandal True Story Penate argued the court should follow those findings. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with . According to a Rolling Stone piece on Farak, she struggled with depression from an early age, one that hasnt responded to medication. They wrote that Farak attempted suicide in high school and was also hospitalized while in college. Sonja Farak Biography, Netflix, Age, Wikipedia, Where is She Now? Wiki
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