Pharmacy owners, ex-workers arrested in deadly meningitis outbreak caused by tainted steroids

Federal authorities say two co-founders and 12 other former employees of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy blamed for a fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people have been arrested.

U.S. attorney office spokeswoman Christina DiIorio-Sterling says Gregory Conigliaro and Barry Cadden, co-founders of the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, were among 14 people arrested Wednesday morning.

Tainted steroids manufactured by the pharmacy were blamed for a 2012 outbreak. About 750 people in 20 states developed meningitis or other infections after receiving the contaminated steroids. Michigan, Tennessee and Indiana were the hardest-hit states.

The spokeswoman said the exact charges would be disclosed later Wednesday but are all expected to make an initial court appearance later in the day. A news conference is planned.