Bail Continued for Ex-Gynecologist Accused of Fraud : Courts: Two former patients watch as Ivan Namihas appears at his initial hearing in Los Angeles. He is scheduled for arraignment Monday in Santa Ana.

Ivan C. Namihas, the former Tustin gynecologist accused by more than 100 women of sexual abuse, made his first appearance Monday in federal court on charges of fraudulently billing patients for unnecessary and expensive treatments.

Two of his former patients watched as bail was continued for Namihas, indicted on 14 counts of mail fraud two weeks ago.

Namihas, 62, arrived in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon after spending part of the morning in federal court in Santa Ana, where the hearing had first been scheduled. U.S. prosecutors were unaware that the court’s magistrate in Santa had gone on vacation, and the hearing had been moved to Los Angeles.

The federal mail fraud charges came after a yearlong investigation of Namihas. The Orange County district attorney’s office decided in May, 1992, that it could not file criminal sexual abuse charges against Namihas because of statute-of-limitations problems.

The indictment against Namihas alleges that the former gynecologist typically informed patients that they suffered from various diseases when he knew otherwise, subjecting them to extensive examinations and surgical procedures that should never have been performed and collecting nearly $16,000 in payments that were mailed to him.

Federal statutes make it illegal for anyone to obtain money through the U.S. mail under “false and fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises.”

U.S. Magistrate Charles F. Eick, who presided over the hearing in Los Angeles, ordered Namihas to appear for arraignment next Monday in federal court in Santa Ana. Until then, Namihas will remain free on the $100,00 cash bail he posted after his arrest July 27 in Las Vegas, where he now makes his home.

During Monday’s hearing, prosecutors argued unsuccessfully that Namihas was a flight risk and that he should be required to deed to the court any properties not controlled by the trustee in a bankruptcy case involving Namihas.

Although he has filed for bankruptcy, Namihas owns a Las Vegas apartment building worth $3.6 million and was able to post $100,000 cash bail, said prosecutors, who argued that he still has resources to travel.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Jonathan Shapiro complained that Namihas traveled outside of Nevada after his arrest and had violated the conditions of his bail. But his attorney said Namihas had court permission to visit Monterey, Calif., to attend a church service.

In addition, Shapiro said Namihas was not truthful with officials of the court-sponsored pretrial services division when he told them he retired from the medical profession in March, 1992. In fact, an Orange County Superior Court judge suspended his license at that time and the California Medical Board permanently revoked his license two months later.

Despite the government’s arguments, Eick continued bail, deeming it “at least minimally sufficient.”

Shirley Corbin, who was a patient of Namihas in the early 1970s and said she was subjected to sexual harassment and unwanted advances, attended Monday’s hearing. Outside the courtroom with her husband, Corbin was stunned when Namihas sat down next to her.

“I nearly died,” she said. “I got all upset. I couldn’t take it. I had to move away from him.”

Corbin, who lives in Tustin and filed one of the first complaints against Namihas with the Medical Board, said she is eager to follow Namihas’ case through the legal system to its conclusion.

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” Corbin said. “I just want to see justice done.”