At a Tennessee crossroads, two pharmacies, a monkey, and millions of pills

Federal prosecutors have unveiled a rare criminal case alleging that owners of a pharmacy in Celina, Tennessee intentionally courted opioid seekers by filling dangerous prescriptions that would have been rejected elsewhere. The pharmacies are accused of giving cash handouts to keep customers coming back, and one allegedly distributed its own currency, “monkey bucks,” inspired by a pet monkey that was once a common sight behind the counter.