Bogus Doctor Is Charged With Fraud

A Los Angeles man accused of impersonating a physician was charged Friday in a 39-count federal grand jury indictment with mail and wire fraud, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Gerald C. Barnes was arrested April 13 and charged with fraud for allegedly practicing medicine without a license at the Executive Health Group, a Los Angeles clinic, from July 1995 to earlier this month.

Barnes caused the clinic to submit invoices in excess of $350,000 to clients to obtain payment for purported medical services, according to the indictment. He also knowingly and intentionally distributed controlled substances, the indictment said.

“There are few crimes as dangerous as impersonating a medical doctor,” said U.S. Atty. Nora Manella. “By falsely holding himself out to be a qualified physician, Mr. Barnes jeopardized the health and safety of every patient he treated.”

Barnes, 62, who was born Jerald Barnbaum, changed his name in 1970, according to the indictment. He then used the California medical license number of a legitimate Stockton physician and other false credentials to impersonate a doctor.

In addition, Southern California Gas Co., which contracted with Executive Health Group for medical services, is investigating whether Barnes was the physician who reviewed drug tests of its company employees. Fifteen employees tested positive and were fired.

Barnes was being held without bail in a Los Angeles federal facility. Barnes was sent to state prison in 1981, 1984, 1989 and 1991 for convictions related to impersonating a doctor in various California clinics.