MD accused in fleecing patients - Another LLMD
- From: "georgia" <Jwismille@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 28 Apr 2006 20:01:20 -0700
"DeMarco is known for her work on Lyme disease and in 2003 was
appointed by Gov. James E. McGreevey to the Governor's Lyme Disease
Advisory Council."
Friday, March 31, 2006
Associated Press
A southern New Jersey doctor took money from Lou Gehrig's disease
patients by getting them to pay as much as $35,000 for a stem-cell
treatment that she could not -- and did not -- perform, according to a
federal indictment unsealed yesterday.
Charlene DeMarco of Egg Harbor City and her assistant and housemate,
Elizabeth Copperman, were arrested yesterday and charged with 11 counts
of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering for acts
they are accused of committing between 2002 and 2004.
According to an indictment, DeMarco, 44, and Copperman, 38, told
patients that DeMarco could help them by injecting stem cells into
their brains. But the patients would need to raise money for the
treatment first.
Five alleged victims were listed in the indictment, but only by
initials. Four of them lived in Louisiana.
According to the indictment, three of them sent DeMarco a total of more
than $75,000 for the treatments, which they never received.
Another victim was told the treatment would require a $35,000 fee,
according to the indictment.
"The conduct alleged in this indictment is contemptible and represents
a shocking example of greed and a total disregard for historic
principles of humane medical treatment," U.S. Attorney Christopher J.
Christie said in a written statement.
DeMarco is known for her work on Lyme disease and in 2003 was appointed
by Gov. James E. McGreevey to the Governor's Lyme Disease Advisory
Council.
Lou Gehrig's disease, formally known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,
is a degenerative disease of the nervous system that causes muscle
weakness and eventual paralysis. There is no known cure. Life
expectancy for an ALS patient averages two to five years from time of
diagnosis.
Baseball star Lou Gehrig first brought national and international
attention to the disease in 1939 when he abruptly retired from baseball
after being diagnosed with ALS.
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