George Eric Marquart, a man without a high school degree became the first to produce street Fentanyl. He had a high IQ, evident in school. But he found school boring and ridiculous. After winning the State Science Fair, he was immediately expelled for truancy issues. The local Doctor got him into making Heroin. Eric enjoyed the science behind making drugs. He switched to meth for the market and profitability. Then after several stints in prison, found out about Fentanyl. His curiosity turned to mad science and he managed to recreate a street version within weeks. The potency of which drove up the price and demand. Eric made larger and larger batches, but the arrogance and stupidity of his partners eventually led the DEA to his front door. Thus ending the initial wave of street Fentanyl. 

Sources:

Madinger, John. 2024. Lethal Doses. The story behind ‘the godfather of fentanyl’

https://www.foxnews.com/media/godfather-fentanyl-fox-nation-docuseries-story-chemist-drug-kingpin

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13744081/fentanyl-godfather-george-marquardt-breaking-bad-drug-crisis.html

https://torontosun.com/news/world/hunter-real-life-walter-white-was-sociopath-behind-fentanyl-epidemic

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3427620/The-real-Walter-White-self-taught-chemist-led-explosion-fentanyl-addiction-drug-50-times-potent-heroin.html