By Nicole Norman and Taylor Romine, CNN
A California man was indicted last week for falsely claiming he was a licensed physician and practicing medicine on thousands of people, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced in a news release Monday.
Stephan Gevorkian, 44, was charged with five felony counts of practicing medicine without certification over several years at his clinic, Pathways Medical in North Hollywood, according to the statement.
The clinic “performs blood tests on patients, advises them on treatments, and offers treatments for serious conditions, such as cancer and viral infections,” the statement said.
The charges come after an undercover investigator saw Gevorkian for a consultation in November 2022. During the visit, Gevorkian “allegedly failed to accurately address abnormal hormone levels that would indicate a serious medical condition,” according to the statement.
The case is also being investigated by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, according to the statement.
Gevorkian pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Friday, where the judge released him on parole on the condition that he not practice medicine, Tatevik Tigranyan, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, told CNN.
CNN has reached out to Gevorkian’s attorney, Pathways Medical and the Department of Consumer Affairs for comment.
“Practicing medicine without a license is not only criminal activity in California, it can cause irreparable harm to the health of unsuspecting individuals,” Gascón said in a statement.
The prosecutor’s office encouraged anyone who thinks they may be a victim in the case to call the Consumer Protection Hotline at (213) 257-2465.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 24, according to the statement.
The CNN Wire
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