Fake Doctor Treats 500 Senior Citizens Over 6 Months

By Andrew Lu on August 29, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

If you want to practice medicine, you typically need to spend four years in undergraduate school, four years in medical school, and then spend another four years in residency. Or, you can make up your credentials as a fake doctor in South Carolina allegedly did.

It appears Ernest Addo could not be bothered with things like studying or knowing anything about medicine before he decided to work as a doctor.

Addo is accused of taking on his friend's identity when he starting practicing as a doctor six months ago at Agape Senior Primary Care. During that time, the fake doctor reportedly met with as many as 500 senior citizen patients in South Carolina, reports The Associated Press.

Addo allegedly used documents from a friend who was actually a doctor to convince Agape to hire him, reports the AP. Addo was hired in February and reportedly continued to see patients until he quit last week.

Get this: Addo was busted not for giving bad medical treatment or advice, but because his friend (the real doctor) discovered the fraud through fraudulent credit card transactions.

Police have charged the fake doctor with unlawfully practicing medicine and he could also face charges for unlawfully prescribing medicine and illegally getting wages, reports the AP.

In the meantime, Agape Senior Primary Care has reached out to patients treated by Addo and they are taking steps to protect them. The primary care center could also face legal liability for hiring the fake doctor. After all, a background check or some other measure should have been taken to ensure that not any fraud off the street can simply walk in and be hired as a doctor.

In a real life Catch Me If You Can, Ernest Addo carried off being a fake doctor in South Carolina. He performed sufficiently enough for six months - go figure.

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