Business
Doctor impersonator sent to prison
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 7, 2004
A Los Angeles federal judge in May sentenced a 70-year-old man to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of impersonating a California physician a fifth time since the late 1970s.
Between the late 1970s and 2000, Gerald Barnes, born Jerald Barnbaum, stole the identity of Gerald C. Barnes, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, five times not only for personal financial gain but also to gain employment at several clinics in southern California.
In 1996, the phony physician, was sentenced to 12½ years in prison for posing as Dr. Barnes a fourth time. He escaped prison in 2000 and was arrested that same year working as "Dr. Barnes" in a Los Angeles clinic.
The 10-year sentence will run consecutive to the prior 12½- and 2½-year sentences Barnes/Barnbaum respectively received for his fourth conviction and escape. A story about the theft of Dr. Barnes' identity was previously published (AMNews, Oct. 13, 2003).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/06/07/bibf0607.htm.
