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Philip Seymour Hoffman Had Multiple Drug Dealers: Sources

By  Janon Fisher and Murray Weiss | February 6, 2014 5:38pm 

 Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman had more that one drug source, sources say.
Philip Seymour Hoffman
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MANHATTAN — Police believe that Philip Seymour Hoffman bought heroin from more than one drug dealer, raising questions about whether the man arrested Wednesday sold the Oscar-winning actor his final dose, sources said.

Detectives investigating what they believe was a heroin overdose by the "Capote" actor raided the Mott Street apartment of Robert Vineberg, 57, Wednesday night based on a tip that Hoffman had been seen in the apartment buying drugs, according to sources.

Police found 250 bags of heroin labeled "Red Bull" and $1,284 in cash in his apartment, according to his criminal complaint. Hoffman's phone number was found in Vineberg's cell.

But the 49 bags of heroin found in Hoffamn's apartment bore the label "Ace of Spades," not "Red Bull." Sources also believe that Vineberg had not seen Hoffman since November of last year and the that actor used at least one other dealer.

Hoffman withdrew $1,200 cash from a supermarket ATM the night before he was found dead in his West Village apartment bathroom with a hypodermic needle sticking out of his arm, police said.

The medical examiner has not determined his cause of death.

Prosecutors never publicly connected Vineberg, a musician who has worked with Wyclef Jean and David Bowie, with Hoffman's death. He was indicted Thursday on drug possession charges and held without bail.

College students Julia Luchkiw and Max Roseblum, both 22, arrested during the same raid, were charged with cocaine and marijuana possession and held in Rikers Island overnight.

They were released Thursday morning after initially being held without bail.

Luchkiw's lawyer Stephen Turano said his client had nothing to do with the actor's death.

"She's not a drug dealer," he said. "She absolutely was not involved in the sale of any narcotics, especially not to Mr. Hoffman."