Michigan psychiatrist charged with 14 more crimes involving sex with patients

Fourteen additional criminal charges, all but one involving sexual assault, have been filed against a Monroe psychiatrist who is accused of having inappropriate relations with up to eight women who were his patients.

Dr. Abdullahi A. Mohamed, 58, who lives in Dearborn Heights but has a practice in Monroe, remains free on a $100,000 bond. The 14 criminal charges were filed by the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office. Dr. Mohamed is expected to be arraigned on those charges later this month.

Assistant Prosecutor Amara Hunter reported that after the psychiatrist was charged in May with sexually assaulting a patient in his office, numerous other female patients came forward to report assaults ranging from fondling to oral sex.

“He abused his authority,” Ms. Hunter said. “They were vulnerable.”

Of the 14 additional charges filed 13 were criminal sexual conduct- fourth degree, mental health professional, which is a two-year misdemeanor, but is treated by the courts as a felony. The 14th count was assault and battery.

In May Dr. Mohamed was arrested and charged with criminal sexual conduct-third and fourth degrees after a woman contacted police to report that she was sexually assaulted during a visit at Dr. Mohamed’s office at the Outpatient Behavioral Health Center at 700 Stewart Rd. Third degree sexual assault carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Once that incident became public, numerous other patients contacted the Michigan State Police to report that they also had been assaulted. Detective Sgt. Marc Moore of the Monroe post said the 14 charges were the result of eight additional victims who came forward.

Ms. Hunter said the victims were patients of Dr. Mohamed, who accepted their Medicare insurance and filled their prescriptions. She said it appeared they succumbed to his advances because they were afraid that he would not prescribe their medicine and there were no other area psychiatrists who accept Medicare.

Sgt. Moore said all the victims are women and most had been patients of Dr. Mohamed for months or years without incident. However, all reported his behavior changing around January.

Dr. Mohamed has an office in Dearborn but Ms. Hunter said authorities in Wayne County have not had any similar reports filed. Dr. Mohamed also was a staff physician at Mercy Memorial Hospital and reportedly has been terminated but that could not be verified Friday night.

Dr. Mohamed’s medical license remains active, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. His Michigan medical license was issued in 2004 and expires in January, 2015. The agency reported on its website that Dr. Mohamed has no formal complaints filed against him nor has he faced disciplinary action. Officials said, however, that could change as the legal case moves forward.

Dr. Mohamed’s attorney, Barry A. Resnick of Farmington Hills, was unavailable for comment Friday. However, last month he said his client denies the allegations and they will fight the charges in court to clear his name.

Source: Ray Kisonas, “14 More Charges Filed Against Psychiatrist, Monroe News, June 23, 2012.

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Florida psychologist Maria Rodriguez-Dowling excluded from Medicaid; state seeks to discipline

According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, psychologist Maria Rodriguez-Dowling, of Coleman, Florida, was excluded from participation in federally funded health care program.

This means she may not deliver mental health services to patients enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare, etc. nor submit claims for reimbursement nor received reimbursement from these programs.

The reason given is that Rodriguez-Dowling was convicted of a crime substantially related to the Medicaid-Medicare program. On or about August 31, 2011, in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, Rodriguez-Dowling pled guilty to and was adjudicated guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of making a false statement.

On May 24, 2012, the Florida Board of Psychology issued an accusation against Rodriguez-Dowling, relative to her conviction, seeking to suspend or revoke her license.

Source: Exclusions database entry for Maria Rodriguez-Dowling, website of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and License Verification from Florida Department of Health website, ww2.doh.state.fl.us, accessed 4/12/12.

State places psychiatrist Rafael Mora de Jesus on probation related to faulty psych evaluation

On November 21, 2011, the Connecticut Department of Public Health placed the license of psychologist Rafael Mora de Jesus on probation for two years with terms and conditions.

De Jesus was found to have prepared a “neuro-psychological evaluation” of a patient in 2009 and released the report to the patient’s parent and school psychologist although the report contained significant errors, failed to incorporate all relevant data and to communicate its findings and provided inadequate recommendations.

Further, de Jesus, performed the same kind of evaluation on another patient in January 2010 but never prepared a report of his findings. Conditions of his probation include having his practice monitored.

Source: Consent Order in re: Rafael Mora de Jesus, Ph.D., Petition Nos. 2010-73 and 2010-188, State of Connecticut Department of Public Health.

State board places psychiatrist Criselda Calayan Abad Santos on probation for prescribing violations

On March 30, 2012, the Medical Board of California placed psychiatrist Criselda Calayan Abad Santos on probation for the three years with numerous terms and conditions.

The Board’s document states that Abad Santos prescribed dangerous drugs such as Adderall, Oxycontin and Pristiq (all controlled substances) to five individuals who were relatives or family friends without conducting the necessary examinations or tests (such as liver or blood sugar tests); failed to obtain informed consent for the prescriptions and failed to monitor or keep medical charts for the patients.

Source: Decision and Order in the Matter of the Accusation against Criselda Calayan AbadSantos, M.D., License No. A 105195, Case No. 05-2010-205633, California Medical Board.

California medical board yanks psychiatrist Sekilar Sabaratnam’s license following criminal conviction

On April 13, 2012, the Medical Board of California revoked the license of psychiatrist Sekilar Sabaratnam based on his criminal conviction related to the delivery of health care services.

On August 30, 2010, Sabaratnam pleaded guilty to the charge of Payment of Kickbacks for Patient Referrals, Causing an Act to be Done and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.

According to a press release issued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Sabaratnam, who was the Chief Executive Officer of City of Angels Medical Center, admitted to paying kickbacks as part of a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medi-Cal (the California state Medicaid program) by recruiting homeless persons to receive unnecessary health services, paying out nearly $500,000 in illegal kickbacks.

As part of his sentence, he was required to make restitution of $4.1 million to the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs.

Source: “Former hospital C.E.O. pleads guilty to paying kickbacks in ‘skid row’ healthcare fraud scheme,” press release of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, December 12, 2008 and Decision in the Matter of the Accusation Against Sekilar Sabaratnam, M.D., License No. A 29353, Case No. 17-2008-190704, Medical Board of California.

US Medicaid program excludes psychiatrist Gregory Dill after loss of license linked to meth use

On March 20, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General excluded psychiatrist Gregory Dill from participation in federally funded health care programs, such as Medicaid, due to having had his professional license suspended or revoked.

According to a Consent Order issued by the North Carolina Medical Board, Dill voluntarily surrendered his license to the Board on January 18, 2011 after admitting to the use of methamphetamine and that his “use and abuse of illicit substances constitutes his being unable to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety….”

The Board officially suspended his license indefinitely on April 11, 2011.

Source: Consent Order in re: Gregory Oran Dill, M.D., Respondent, Before the North Carolina Medical Board.

Psychiatrist Michael K. Nunn excluded from federal health plans following fraud conviction

On January 19, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General excluded psychiatrist Michael Nunn from participation in federally-funded health programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare.

This means he can no longer received reimbursements from these programs for services delivered.

The reason given is that the entity he is or was employed by was excluded from participation in Medicaid. A consent order issued by the North Carolina Medical Board states that Nunn owned and operated Community Wellness Center (CWC), in New Bern, North Carolina and that on April 25, 2011, CWC pleaded guilty in federal court to health care fraud and money laundering.

Further, it states that the U.S. Department of Justice alleged in a Criminal Information that from May 2003 to December 2004, CWC developed a scheme to defraud Medicare and VA Fee-basis program; to bill for services that performed by unqualified personnel, services that were not actually performed and for double-billing the VA.

CWC was ordered to pay a fine of $700,000 and restitution of $297,215 to the Dept. of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs. He was also placed on probation for four years. The Board suspended his license for 12 months, stayed the suspension and fined him $5,000.

Source: Consent Order in re: Michael Kermitt Nunn, D.O., Respondent, before the North Carolina Medical Board.

Idaho counselor Amy Prestin convicted of Medicaid fraud, excluded from federal health care programs

On September 20, 2011 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General excluded licensed professional counselor Amy Annette Prestin from participation in the Medicaid or Medicare programs due to a criminal conviction substantially related the Medicaid and/or Medicare programs.

An Order issued by the Idaho Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists states that Prestin was found guilty in April 2011 of Medicaid provider fraud and was ordered to pay restitution of $3,818 and was placed on probation for three years.

The Board revoked her license.

Source: Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order in the Matter of the License of Amy Annette Prestin, License No. LCPC-383, Case No. COU-2007-14, Idaho Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists.

Social worker Kimberly Drzal is kicked out of Medicaid program following fraud conviction

On January 20, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General issued an exclusion on licensed social worker Kimberly Drzal of Ohio.

An exclusion means that one is no long permitted to provide services to patients under Medicaid and Medicare nor to received reimbursements for such services.

The reason given was that Drzal was convicted of Medicaid fraud.

A Consent ordered issued in January 2011 by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist Board states that Drzal was found guilty in August 2010 of theft of $1870.00 in funds belonging to residents of the nursing home where she worked.

The Board accepted the surrender of her social worker license.

Source: Consent Agreement between Kimberly Drzal and the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist Board, license no. S-0022860, January 21, 2011.

State issues charge against psychiatrist Peter Cotsirilos for practice and prescribing irregularities

On March 20, 2012, the Medical Board of California issued an Accusation against psychiatrist Peter J. Cotsirilos excessive prescribing, gross negligence, prescribing to an addict and failure to maintain adequate records. The Board’s document describes Cotsirilos’ treatment of four patients, to whom he prescribed controlled, dangerous drugs and in all or most of the cases failed to coordinate with or contact the patients’ prior treating physicians; prescribed excessively high doses of drugs; failed to conduct random urine screens or other tests which would have detected the presence of non-prescribed drugs, etc.; prescribed to patients with prior or know addiction or dependence and prescribed without justification.

Source: Accusation in the Matter of the Accusation Against Peter J. Cotsirilos, M.D., License No. G 66322, Case No. 02-2010-207588, Medical Board of California.