MEDIA
Psychiatrist Mark Beale: 1-star Google rating
Psychiatrist Mark Beale Post & Courier (Charleston, SC) Libel lawsuit over West Ashley psychiatrist's 1-star Google rating sparks First Amendment fight, more 1-star reviews; Online review sparks lawsuit over libel July 30, 2017 Sunday By Andrew Knapp -- Excerpt A West Ashley psychiatrist was so offended by a poor online review that he has sued the anonymous critic and demanded that Google unmask the user's identity. What did the review say? Nothing. It simply gave Dr. Mark Beale one out of five stars - a judgment that Beale said has caused him "extreme and constant distress." Beale insisted that it [...]
Peter Baumann, Swiss Psychiatrist, sentenced
Peter Baumann SWI Doctor sentenced over assisted suicides July 6, 2007 -- Excerpt Peter Baumann was given a three-year prison sentence, two years of which are suspended, by Basel criminal court on Friday. Switzerland has one of the most relaxed laws on assisted suicide in Europe, but calls have been mounting for the practice to be subject to more supervision. Swiss law tolerates assisted suicide where the act is committed by the patient and in which the helper, who might for example provide a needle of morphine and then leave the room, has no direct interest. Direct active euthanasia – [...]
Slawomir Puszkarski, Chicago psychiatrist busted
Slawomir Puszkarski Chicago Sun-Times Doctors gave fake medical opinions to help win citizenship March 31, 2017 By Frank Main -- Excerpt ... Dr. Slawomir Puszkarski, whose practice on Milwaukee Avenue on the Northwest Side catered to Polish patients, was sentenced to probation in 2015 after he admitted helping an undercover federal agent submit a fake Form N-648. "I learned a lot from my mistake, and I would never do it again," the 55-year-old psychiatrist told the Chicago Sun-Times. Puszkarski, the Chicago psychiatrist busted for citizenship fraud involving the N-648 forms, is a Polish immigrant who became a U.S. citizen. In [...]
Greg Thompson, New Hampshire Psychiatrist, Surrenders License
Greg Thompson New Hampshire Union Leader Psychiatrist agrees to surrender medical license By Mark Hayward December 20, 2016 -- Excerpt A Hampstead psychiatrist has agreed to surrender his license to practice medicine in New Hampshire for a year, after state medical authorities raised three cases involving sloppy record keeping and negligent prescribing practices. Greg Thompson, who has been practicing medicine in New Hampshire for 33 years, also agreed to pay a $10,000 fine and to participate in continuing education in medical ethics and record keeping. The Board of Medicine gave Thompson 60 days to help his patients find alternative treatment. [...]
Sandra Vonderembse, Ohio psychiatrist, sentenced
Sandra Vonderembse Psychiatrist sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax evasion Monday, November 21, 2016 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio A psychiatrist from Oregon, Ohio, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon for the Northern District of Ohio, and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. According to court records, from as early as 2005, Sandra Vonderembse failed to pay taxes and filed [...]
Barlow Smith, Marble Falls psychiatrist, surrenders license
Barlow Smith Austin American Statesman Two Central Texas doctors lose licenses after felony convictions By Mary Ann Roser September 4, 2016 -- Excerpt An 85-year-old Marble Falls psychiatrist who pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge was sentenced Tuesday in Burnet County to 10 years of probation and a short jail stay. Barlow Smith reached an agreement with the Burnet County district attorney’s office in which he pleaded guilty to one of three felony counts concerning the fraudulent dispensing of a controlled substance. The DA recommended probation on the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in [...]
Fernando Mendez-Villamil, Miami Psychiatrist, sentenced
Fernando Mendez-Villamil South Florida Business Journal Psychiatrist gets prison time for role in $63M health care fraud By Nina Lincoff July 26, 2016 -- Excerpt South Miami psychiatrist Fernando Mendez Villamil was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for his role in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security fraud schemes, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office announced Monday. Villamil, 48, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health and wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., and more. As a result of the scheme, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and other government organizations suffered a combined loss [...]
Huberto Merayo, Miami Psychiatrist, Sentenced
Huberto Merayo Propublica Florida Doctor Pleads Guilty to Fraud — Years After Complaints About His Prescribing By Charles Ornstein June 23, 2016 -- Excerpt Seven years after a U.S. senator cited him as a national example of aberrant practices, the onetime top prescriber of antipsychotic drugs in Florida’s Medicaid program is in federal custody awaiting sentencing on fraud charges. The second-highest prescriber is serving a four-year term in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges in 2012, but he only relinquished his license to practice medicine in Florida last fall. Taken together, the cases illustrate how long [...]
Michael Reinstein, Chicago psychiatrist, sentenced
Michael Reinstein Chicago Sun Times Psychiatrist gets 9 months for accepting kickbacks from drug firm March 11, 2016 -- Excerpt A Chicago psychiatrist was sentenced to nine months in prison Friday for taking nearly $600,000 from pharmaceutical companies in exchange for prescribing a certain drug to patients. Dr. Michael J. Reinstein, 72, of Skokie, pleaded guilty last year to violating the federal Medicare and Medicaid Anti-Kickback statute, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Along with the sentence, the agreement call for him to repay about $592,000. Reinstein, who practiced psychiatry in the Uptown neighborhood since 1973, prescribed the [...]
Reynaldo De Los Angeles, Nebraska Psychiatrist, Sentenced
Reynaldo De Los Angeles Omaha World Herald Psychiatrist gets probation, must pay $131,775 to IRS By Jay Withrow January 22, 2016 -- Excerpt A 70-year-old Kearney, Nebraska, psychiatrist was sentenced Thursday in federal court to five years of probation for failing to pay more than $131,000 in federal payroll taxes. U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg’s office said that Dr. Reynaldo De Los Angeles also was ordered to provide free psychiatric care to residents of Buffalo County one day a month for five years. De Los Angeles is required to pay $131,775 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, provide his [...]
Javier Criado, Psychiatrist, Spaine, accused of sex abuse
Javier Criado Olive Press Prominent Sevilla psychiatrist accused of sex abuse Investigation is launched following allegations by six former patients By Caitlin Quinn July 14, 2015 -- Excerpt A PROMINENT Sevilla psychiatrist is under investigation for sexually abusing a string of patients. Javier Criado, 65, has been accused by at least six women of continued sexual and psychological abuse. They claim that the abuse was carried out over the course of about two decades, both in Criado’s office at his private clinic and in his home...
Christopher Cameron, Barrhead psychiatrist, arrested
Christopher Cameron Barrhead News Psychiatrist's drink drive decision leaves career in tatters June 10, 2015 -- Excerpt Christopher Cameron, of Barrhead, was arrested after making “a catastrophic error of judgement” to drive while under the influence. Officers saw his car swerving from one side of the road to the other with no rear headlights on and he was pulled over. He was spotted as he drove through his hometown in March this year and a breath test showed he was more than double the limit. The 40-year-old, who helped to set up the first Child Psychiatric Clinic in Glasgow [...]
William Lewek, NY Psychiatrist, Sentenced
Psychiatrist William Lewek William Lewek NewsDay Psychiatrist who buried body in backyard gets 4 years in prison May 2, 2015 By Associated Press -- Excerpt ROCHESTER, N.Y. - A western New York psychiatrist who admitted burying another man's body in his backyard has been sentenced to four years in prison. Monroe County Court Judge Christopher S. Ciaccio gave 63-year-old William Lewek the maximum sentence Friday on the felony charge of tampering with physical evidence. Lewek, who has numerous substance abuse and physical and mental health issues, pleaded guilty in February to evidence tampering... [...]
Abdussamed Kose, Texas Psychiatrist, arrested in police sting, license suspended
Abdussamed Kose [aka Absüssamed Köse] Abdussamed Kose - psychiatrist Texas Medical Board Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2015 TMB suspends Houston physician On April 15, 2015, a disciplinary panel of the Texas Medical Board temporarily suspended, without notice, the Texas Physician-in-Training Permit of Abdussamed Kose, M.D., [aka Absüssamed Köse] after determining his continuation in the practice of medicine poses a continuing threat to public welfare. The suspension was effective immediately. The Board panel found that on or about March 30, 2015, Dr. Kose engaged in a chat online with an individual [...]
Basem Shlewiet, Doylestown psychiatrist, sentenced
Psychiatrist Basem Shlewiet Psychiatrist Basem K Shlewiet Basem Shlewiet The Intelligencer Former Doylestown psychiatrist gets 7 to 17 years for sexual assault February 9, 2015 By Hayden Mitman -- Excerpt A Doylestown-based psychiatrist will spend the next seven to 17 years in a state prison for having inappropriate contact with his patients. Dr. Basem Shlewiet, 43, of Buckingham, was sentenced Monday in Bucks County Court. He was convicted in October on 16 criminal counts, which included forcible indecent assault, indecent assault without consent and unlawful contact with a minor. Judge Wallace H. Bateman sentenced Shlewiet to [...]
Fermin Briones, Jr, San Antonio psychiatrist, suspended
Fermin Briones, Jr. KSAT SA psychiatrist has license suspended over relationship with patient Fermin Briones, Jr. has license temporarily suspended By Robert Taylor January 5, 2015 SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio psychiatrist had his license temporarily suspended by the Texas Medical Board over a sexual relationship with a patient. Dr. Fermin Briones, Jr. had his licensed suspended Jan. 2. The board cited evidence including videos, emails and text messages about the relationship with the patient as reason for the suspension. The board said Briones' continuation in the practice of medicine "poses a continuing threat to public welfare." Briones faces [...]
Andrew Newton, Harrisburg Psychiatrist, guilty
Andrew Newton The News-Item (Shamokin, Pennsylvania) Mount Carmel psychiatrist pleads guilty to Medicare fraud December 8, 2014 Monday By Rob Wheary -- Excerpt --HARRISBURG -- A Mount Carmel psychiatrist accused of fraudulently billing Medicare for psychotherapy sessions that didn't happen pleaded guilty to the charges in federal court Nov. 25. Dr. Andrew Newton, 42, of Harrisburg, the owner-operator of the Newton Psychiatric Clinic, pleaded guilty to six counts of theft or embezzlement in connection with health care in the Nov. 25 court appearance... Authorities alleged Newton billed Medicare for a face-to-face psychotherapy services with patients in Pennsylvania when Newton was [...]
Thomas Havel, California psychiatrist, sexual misconduct
Thomas Havel San Jose Mercury News Mountain View: Advocates for those molested by priests want psychiatrist out of El Camino Hospital By Eric Kurhi December 5, 2014 --Excerpt Victim advocates Friday called for the ouster of a psychiatrist and former priest who has practiced at El Camino Hospital for decades, citing accusations that he had molested two teenage girls years ago. In 1988 Dr. Thomas Havel, now 77, was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl whom he had counseled before coming to El Camino, beginning when she was 13 years old. That lawsuit was dismissed on the grounds that [...]
Daniel Brandt, New Mexico Psychiatrist, Roughs up Patient
Daniel Brandt Las Cruces Sun-News (New Mexico) Las Cruces psychiatrist abused former patient, police say December 4, 2014 -- Excerpt A Las Cruces psychiatrist has been arrested after police say he abused a former patient. Daniel J. Brandt, 54, was charged with one count of abuse of a resident, a fourth-degree felony, according to a Las Cruces Police Department news release. Police allege Brandt grabbed the hoodie of a 28-year-old former patient, twisted it in his hand and escorted the intellectually disabled inside Campo Behavioral Health Services on Tuesday. Brand's hold was tight enough, according [...]
David Daley, Lehigh County psychiatrist, convicted
David Daley Lehighvalleylive.com Former Lehigh County psychiatrist convicted of running pill mill September 26, 2014 By Sarah Cassi -- Excerpt A former Lehigh County psychiatrist faces jail time after a jury found he repeatedly improperly prescribed medications to patients, some of whom are accused of being part of a prescription drug ring. Dr. David Daley's trial began Sept. 16 in Lehigh County Court on charges of helping patients fraudulently obtain prescription drugs and multiple counts of prescribing controlled substances outside of accepted medical principles. Daley formerly practiced at 7729 Main St. in Upper Macungie Township. Jurors began deliberating Thursday and [...]
Zahid Imran – Louisiana Psychiatrist Gets 7+ years in Prison
Zahid Imran Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 25, 2014 Louisiana Psychiatrist Sentenced to Serve More Than Seven Years in Prison for His Role in $258 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme A Louisiana psychiatrist was sentenced in federal court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, today to serve 86 months in prison for his role in a $258.5 million Medicare fraud scheme involving partial hospitalization psychiatric services. He was further ordered to pay $43.5 million in restitution and to forfeit all proceeds from the fraudulent scheme. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s [...]
Anil Ramachandran, Libertyville psychiatrist – “alleged cases of sexual assault”
Anil Ramachandran Chicago Sun-Times Sex assault allegations prompt suspension of doctor's license; State's attorney's office, Waukegan police review the case for criminal charges By Ruth Fuller July 4, 2014 -- Excerpt Prosecutors said they have not yet decided whether they will criminally charge a Libertyville psychiatrist who has been sued civilly for two alleged cases of sexual assault, one of which occurred in November and resulted in his DNA being found inside a woman’s body. Waukegan police and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office are investigating the complaints against Dr. Anil Ramachandran, whose license to practice medicine in Illinois was [...]
Alen Salerian, DC psychiatrist – unfit to stand trial
Alen Salerian Washingtonian Alen Salerian Declared Unfit to Stand Trial By Ariel Sabar April 8, 2014 -- Excerpt Alen Salerian, the psychiatrist whose downfall was chronicled in Washingtonian’s February issue (“The Spectacular Unraveling of Washington’s Favorite Shrink”), has been found unfit to stand trial. A federal judge in southwestern Virginia last Friday declared Salerian “mentally incompetent” to assist in his own defense and indefinitely postponed his trial on felony charges of distributing narcotic painkillers to people with no legitimate need for them. According to the judge’s ruling, Salerian’s own lawyers at Katten Muchin Rosenman concurred with a court-appointed forensic psychologist’s [...]
Ali Salim, Ohio Psychiatrist – Sentenced to 36 years
Ali Salim The Columbus Dispatch Doctor sentenced to 36 years for killing pregnant woman By Laura Arenschield December 20, 2013 -- Excerpt DELAWARE, Ohio — A doctor who admitted to killing a pregnant woman and her unborn daughter in the summer of 2012 was sentenced today to serve 36 years and 4 months in prison. Ali Salim, 44, pleaded guilty in October to killing 23-year-old Deanna Ballman after she answered a Craigslist ad he’d placed for a prostitute. Ballman was nine months pregnant at the time of her death. Her unborn daughter, whom she’d planned to name Mabel, also [...]
Abhishek Shah, Connecticut Psychiatrist, Sentenced
Abhishek Shah Hartford Courant (Connecticut) PSYCHIATRIST TAKES PLEA DEAL; DEAL RESULTS IN PROBATION; SEX ASSAULT CHARGES DROPPED; COURTS By Christine Dempsey December 3, 2013 A psychiatrist accused of sexually assaulting a woman in West Hartford a year ago was sentenced to probation Monday after he pleaded no contest to reduced charges. Abhishek Shah, 32, who was a second-year general psychiatry resident at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington at the time, was sentenced in Superior Court to two years of probation. He pleaded no contest to charges of third-degree assault and second-degree unlawful restraint, both misdemeanors, minutes [...]