California Criminal Doctors go to Prison; Get Released; Get Their Licenses Back Again. It's Revo
Over the past 25 years, the California Medical Board has routinely relicensed physicians who were found guilty of Attempted Murder, Insurance Fraud and Patient Sexual Assault.
You might want to go back and read that first sentence again. Let it sink in.
Some California MDs have spent more years in prison than they have in medical school. No matter, because more than half were reissued their licenses to treat patients after they were released. They told the medical board they were . . . you know . . . sorry.
“There are some things that people have done, and I don’t care how remorseful you are, you shouldn’t get your license back.” Julie D’Angelo Fellmeth, San Diego attorney hired by California to report on State Medical Board’s feeble doctor discipline.
As far back as 2010 the Orange County Register researched the cases of 66 doctors who lost their licenses for serious misbehavior. At least 25% managed to get into trouble yet again.
A Beverly Hills psychiatrist - Doctor Mark Kaplan - was found guilty in 1995 of stealing $30,000,000 from California's Worker’s Compensation program. The doctor routinely filed scammed injury claims, charging for medical treatments that never happened.
After 4 years in Folsom State Prison, this doctor was reissued his medical license and went right back to work in Los Angeles.
Doctor Andrew Rutland, an Orange County gynecologist, lost his license after the death of a newborn in 2002, The baby died after an errant forceps delivery. He was reissued his medical license 5 years later.
In Imperial County, Doctor Thomas Tartaro confessed to putting at least one adult female patient in restraints and sexually assaulting her. The prosecution said they had statements from 8 other victims who decided they didn't want to suffer through a public trial.
By admitting his guilt in a single case, the doctor avoided state prison. He served 3 months in county jail in El Centro, Seven years later, a judge found Tartaro “extremely remorseful” and the medical board reissued his medical license - after a patient sexual attack history.
In San Diego County Doctor Vincent N Galluzzi admitted in court in 1997 that he had hired a "hit man" to shoot and kill his former wife. According to police reports, Galluzzi unknowingly paid an undercover officer a $1,000 deposit and provided him with the former wife’s picture and address. Galluzzi was found guilty of Attempted Murder and was sent to state prison. He was released after 3 years, and 3 years after that, he reapplied for his medical license.
A judge said this: “The kind of aggressive feelings he had toward his ex-wife were never focused on his patients.”
The state medical board reissued his license in 2004 and Galluzzi now treats patients in Modesto.
Linda Whitney, former Executive Director of the Medical Board, has said that the Board's reinstatement process provides the “most objective and independent method” of determining which doctors are rehabilitated.
“I believe our board has lived up to its public protection mandate in this process far more than not,” Whitney said.
Anybody feebleminded enough to believe that, might want to read just a tad about THIS stomach-churning case: