April 26 (UPI) — A Los Angeles man has been charged with practicing medicine on thousands of people, including cancer patients, over several years while pretending to be a doctor, the county’s district attorney announced Monday, while calling on potential victims to come forward.
Stephan Gevorkian, 44, of Studio City, owns and operates out of North Hollywood’s Pathways Medical where services such as blood tests are conducted and where patients, including those suffering from cancer, viral infections and other serious conditions, receive medical advice and treatment.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement that Gevorkian faces five felony counts of practicing medicine without a certification.
The charges come after an undercover investigator sat for a consultation with the suspect on Nov. 17. The district attorney said Gevorkian failed to accurately address abnormal levels of hormones that could indicate a serious medical condition.
“Practicing medicine without a license is not only a criminal activity in California, it can cause irreparable harm to the health of unsuspecting people, some with serious illnesses, who believe they are under the care of a licensed physician,” Gascon said.
Gevorkian has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 24, with the district attorney asking anyone “who believes they may have been a victim in this case should call the Consumer Protection hotline at 213-257-2465.”
The case, which was filed for a warrant on Wednesday, accuses Gevorkian of practicing medicine on thousands of people for several years.
