2 More Surrender in Alleged Phony Medical Clinic Case

Two more officials with a chain of allegedly phony medical clinics surrendered to Los Angeles police Monday as authorities moved to close the clinics, at least one of which continued to operate over the weekend.

Bruce Alan Miller, 38, of Van Nuys, an accountant for the clinics, and Frank Hegyi, 47, a Westside resident and a licensed chiropractor who worked as a clinic administrator, were booked in connection with several Labor Code violations.

By Monday afternoon, the two men and five others who had been arrested previously all were free on bail ranging from $250 to $100,000 each, said Deputy City Atty. Ellen Pais.

Closed Doors

Two of the four clinics--San Cristobal Medical Clinic in Boyle Heights and La Familia Health Center in Wilmington--closed their doors Saturday, but at least one has remained open.

The state is preparing evidence to request a court order for the closure of all the clinics, said Sande Pond of the state attorney general’s office. She said the process may take as long as a week.

At the Santa Ines Medical Clinic at 2033 W. 7th St., across from MacArthur Park, it was business as usual Monday. A fourth facility, the Bonnie Brae Medical Clinic, operates at the same address, but it was not clear whether patients were being seen there Monday.

A steady stream of patients walked through the double doors that lead up to the second-floor Santa Ines Medical Clinic. The patients had not heard about the arrests, and when told, some said they might not return. Several patients, however, said they were satisfied with the treatment they had received.

Elena Perez, 34, has been making weekly visits to the clinic over the past year. Although the injections she receives have not seemed to improve her stomach ailment, she will probably continue to go for treatment, she said. The allegations against the clinic operators seemed to make little difference to her.

Quits Her Job

“I don’t know where else to go,” said Perez, who said her ill health has forced her to quit her job at a downtown garment factory.

Some health specialists who work in immigrant communities said the high cost of medical care and the lack of information about low-cost services drives many immigrants into the hands of less-than-qualified private practitioners.

“It scares me because there are a lot of people out there who may not be getting the proper care,” said Carlos Cuellar, a physician’s assistant at the nonprofit Msgr. Oscar Arnulfo Romero Clinic, a free clinic serving the largely Central American community in the Pico-Union District.

Immigrants tend to go to private, low-cost health clinics in the neighborhood because they are afraid of being turned in to immigration authorities if they seek service at public facilities, he said. Some prefer the neighborhood clinics because the personnel usually speak Spanish, he added.

“Anybody can hang out a sign that says ‘ Clinica ,’ ” said Fern Seizer, director of the Venice Family Clinic. “And most of us are not very sophisticated on how to judge quality of medical care.”

Among those charged in the case is Salvador Cano, 38, of Santa Ana, president of Santa Ines Medical Enterprises Inc., the corporate owner of the clinics. His bail was set at $100,000. Attempts to reach him through his attorney were unsuccessful.

Mexican Medical Degree

Cano, who has a medical degree from Mexico, faces 71 counts, including practicing medicine without a license, furnishing dangerous drugs and numerous violations of the state Labor Code and Unemployment Insurance Code.

His wife, Enriqueta Silva, 40, a licensed physician, was charged with lending her medical license to Cano and similar Labor Code and Unemployment Insurance Code violations.

Also accused are James E. Mack, 68, of Studio City, a disbarred attorney; Kelly S. Klatt, 36, of San Pedro, a Los Angeles police officer on disability leave, and, Klatt’s wife, Samantha, 37.

Arraignment has been scheduled for June 23, said Pais, who filed the original 74-count criminal complaint.