A 37-year-old physiotherapist, who pretended to be a doctor in Belo Horizonte, was indicted for embezzlement, fraudulent misrepresentation, illegal practice of medicine, issuing a false certificate and exposing the life or health of others to direct and imminent danger.
According to the Civil Police of Minas Gerais (PCMG), the fake doctor worked in a clinic in the Barreiro region, in Belo Horizonte.
According to the investigations, in addition to the patients, other contracted professionals and partners of the establishment also became victims as they believed that the accused had a degree in medicine or had specializations in the field of physiotherapy.
The investigation showed that he received around R$40,000 per week through treatments, procedures and medical consultations, in addition to partnerships with laboratories and pharmacies, and the sale of medicines.
PCMG believes that he had been acting as a fake doctor for around three years and enjoyed a luxurious life.
Police chief Túlio Leno, who was in charge of the investigations, highlighted that the suspect had rented cars and traveled abroad. In fact, I had a package purchased for the Dominican Republic.
The fake doctor is in preventive custody and the files have been sent to court.
Investigations
The investigations began after the report of an alleged error in a medical procedure. “Thinking it was a medical error, investigators went to the location and discovered that the suspect is a physiotherapist, who has no specialties and was pretending to be a doctor,” said delegate Gislaine Rios.
The person being investigated was detained in the act on June 3rd during a PCMG operation. He was assisting someone when the police arrived.
According to Gislaine, the suspect fraudulently used registration numbers with the Regional Council of Medicine (CRM) of other doctors (deceased, inactive, active and from other states), to prescribe medications, including controlled ones, and request tests .
According to investigations, the suspect was the one who provided first care to patients at the clinic. After the consultation, he decided whether to pass the case on to another professional or whether he would carry out the treatments himself.
The police found that depending on the patient’s needs, the person being investigated presented himself as an orthopedist, traumatologist, endocrinologist, among other specialties, in order to obtain a financial advantage.
To carry out the procedures, the investigator promoted the tying of services and medicines, forcing patients to purchase their products. Thus, he stocked supplies without the supervision of a pharmacist.
Source: CNN Brasil
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