Local News in Brief : Anaheim : Ex-Doctor Charged With Fraud Posts Bond

A former physician was free on $500,000 bond Thursday after he was named in a 76-count federal grand jury indictment charging that he defrauded government medical programs and masterminded a drug ring.

Gerard F. Smith, 65, of Anaheim allegedly used the licenses of a legitimate doctor to order almost 600,000 doses of controlled substances, Assistant U.S. Atty. Monica Bachner said.

Smith, whose medical license was revoked in 1985, also allegedly submitted bills for expenses never incurred to Medicare, Medi-Cal and private insurance companies, Bachner said.

Also indicted were Smith’s wife, Shirley, 51, and his sister, Bernadette Butler, 61, of Cerritos.

Smith was accused in the Los Angeles federal grand jury indictment of running a drug distribution network from his clinic at 710 S. Brookhurst Ave., Anaheim.