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Canadian Quackery Watch - Hot Topics
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Ravi Devgan sentenced to three yearsMan's disabled kids got sheep fetus injections A disgraced Toronto doctor has been sentenced to three years in jail for defrauding a Mennonite family out of thousands of dollars for sheep fetus injections to treat their severely disabled twins. "He preyed on vulnerable patients for his own financial gain," Justice Carolyn Horkins said, rejecting Ravi Devgan's request that he be spared incarceration. "If Mr. Devgan is allowed to serve his sentence in the community he will in my view endanger the safety of the community," she said.
Preyed on vulnerable patients for financial gain An "incorrigible" former Toronto doctor, stripped of his licence for preying on terminal cancer patients with expensive but useless treatments, was sentenced to three years in prison for bilking a cash-strapped Mennonite couple in a similar fashion. "He preyed on vulnerable patients for his own financial gain," said Madam Justice Carolyn Horkins, who also ordered Ravi Devgan, 60, to pay Jacob and Maria Harms $7,557. Devgan had promised the Wallaceburg couple that their 12-year-old twins, Jake and Willy, who have cerebral palsy, would walk and talk again if they took his costly treatment program, Horkins said. "Clearly, he is incorrigible and has a total lack of respect for the governing body of the medical profession," Horkins said in her judgment. "The public is at risk when a person like Mr. Devgan, whose licence was revoked, con tinues to hold himself out as a doctor and treats patients. This creates the risk of harm."
Devgan found guilty of fleecing Mennonite couple from WallaceburgBy SAM PAZZANO, SUN MEDIA July 5, 2007 TORONTO -- A disgraced former Toronto doctor, already stripped of his medical licence for scamming terminal cancer patients, was found guilty yesterday of fleecing a poor Chatham-Kent Mennonite family. Ravi Devgan promised Wallaceburg residents Jacob and Maria Harms their sons -- Jake Jr. and Willy Harms, now 12, who have cerebral palsy -- would walk and talk again if they took his costly treatment program, said Justice Carolyn Horkins. She found the 59-year-old guilty of four counts of fraud and assault with a weapon for injecting the wheelchair-bound twins in 2004. This is similar to what in 2004 cost Devgan his licence: He preyed on dying cancer patients, selling them on costly but useless treatments. Devgan investigated for scamming Mennonite couple after losing his right to practice medicine in OntarioDoctor arrested in fraud investigation (Ravi Devgan)
Toronto Police Service
Doctor arrested in fraud investigation,
32 Division Saturday, July 2, 2005 Detectives from 32 Division have arrested a doctor. It is alleged that: − he continued to practice after being suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. − he provided medical treatment over several years to two nine−year−old boys from a Mennonite family living in Wallaceburg who suffer from cerebral palsy. −he received thousands of dollars for treatments and injections offered to cure the children's illness. Charged with Fraud Over $5,000 is Ravi Devgan, 57, of NFA. (*) Devgan had offices in a number of locations from Toronto to the Wallaceburg area. Police believe Devgan has been seeing a number of other patients suffering serious illnesses. The accused was scheduled to appear in court on Friday, July 1, 2005, Old City Hall, room 101, at 10 a.m.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have further information to contact
[The original article never mentioned Devgan's name because of legal concerns, and the fact that he could be criminally charged for fraud and practicing medicine without a license. In my opinion, the CPSO has no power to do anything to Devgan since they took his license away for good after years of doing absolutely nothing about him. It's in the hands of the police. So what else is new with this notorious scamster?] Devgan in court again
Ravi Devgan disciplined by CPSO
Reasons for PenaltyPhysicians practising in Ontario must uphold the core values of the profession. The public deserves to be confident that their doctors will treat them with expertise and honesty. Complementary medicine is not the issue here. A doctor may offer this type of care without compromising core values of the profession and without offering false hope. This Committee believes that in order to uphold the values of the profession and to protect the public, revocation is the only penalty that is appropriate in the circumstances of this case. Dr. Devgan preyed on his most vulnerable patients. The public needs protection from dishonest physicians who use their profession to exploit their patients.PenaltyThe Discipline Committee directed the Registrar to revoke the certificate of registration of Dr. Devgan.(Dr. Devgan appealed the decision of the Discipline Committee to the Superior Court of Justice.) top Ravi Devgan Charged again with Drug TraffickingHow could an Ontario medical doctor still be writing prescriptions if he didn't have a valid medical license? Not only is he is one of the most well-known cancer quacks in Ontario, he had previously been found guilty by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario of defrauding one of his a patients.After the CPSO charged him again in 2003 and tried to revoke his right to practice, this quack fought it in court, and nearly got away with it. But, in February, the CPSO permanently revoked his registration. What the hell took them so long?
Dr. Ravi Devgan charged with writing false narcotic prescriptionsThe Globe and Mail March 13, 2004 Mary Nersessian A Toronto doctor has been charged with illegally providing prescription drugs after his medical licence was revoked on Jan. 27. For the second time in three years, Ravi Devgan, 56, has been charged with writing false prescriptions to receive a controlled substance, primarily the opium-based painkiller oxycodone, with an estimated street value of $400,000. Those charges are still before the court, OPP Detective Staff Sergeant Dave Ross said. Dr. Devgan was arrested on March 11 after a two-week OPP investigation. Doctor loses licence after promising cancer cure
By GAY ABBATE Terminal cancer patients came to him for a miracle after exhausting conventional treatment. And physician Ravi Devgan held out hope to at least three of them in exchange for $30,000. For promising a cure with controversial, homeopathic treatments and charging excessive fees from 1997 to 2000, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has pulled his licence to practise in the province. The committee found revocation appropriate in Dr. Devgan's case because "preying on vulnerable patients is totally unacceptable to the profession." Dr. Devgan has filed for bankruptcy three times in the past two decades despite a gross annual income estimated at about $1-million. Why did the College of Physicians and Surgeons not consider this when numerous complaints were filed against Devgan?
How did creditors allow Devgan to finance his practices over the years?
Until it closed in 2000, Dr. Devgan also ran a clinic in La Jolla, Calif., where he rented a $3.6-million seafront home. Dr. Devgan has other legal woes to deal with. He was charged in 2001 with four counts of drug trafficking involving an opium-based prescription painkiller. Those charges are still before the court. Old Ravi up to his old tricks
TORONTO DOC IN HOT WATER AGAINAn Indo-Canadian doctor in Toronto, who offers a mix of conventional and alternative medical treatments to patients, is in hot water - yet again. His history of fraud and bankruptcy" has been front-paged in a national daily, which points out that in spite of his estimated annual earnings of about $1 million, he's declared bankruptcy three times in 20 years - most recently in November 1999. A bankruptcy hearing is scheduled for April 20. He is Dr. Ravi Devgan, 53, who graduated from the University of Toronto medical school. He has many unhappy patients from whom he borrowed money or who are demanding their money back, although he also has some happy patients. But Nasim Jiwani is not one of the happy ones and she has been trying for 13 years to get back the money she lent him. She is still trying to collect her $128,900 judgment and says that sum, with interest, comes to just under $1 million. Devgan's lawyer, Harry Kopyto, claims that negotiations are going on with her and that he wants to pay back some of his debts. The Ontario Health Ministry and other creditors, who claim that he owes them $3.2 million, have filed their opposition to his bankruptcy discharge. The ministry claims the Devgan owes the government more than $200,000. Documents filed in the bankruptcy proceedings show that Devgan estimated his gross income at $860,000, but after expenses, had just $39,500 left. The previous year he got only $55,000 after expenses on a gross income of $1.1 million. Devgan claims he's left with only some $200 after paying all his bills at the end of the month. Devgan has blamed some bad real estate investments for his problems. He also claims he spends $100,000 a year on researching new therapies. One former patient who got ripped off by Devgan is Amar Patel from whom he borrowed money time and time again and even made her sign an application for a new first mortgage on her property where she ran a restaurant. She thought it was an $83,000 mortgage, but it turned out to be a $425,000 mortgage. In 1993, he pleaded guilty to a charge of professional misconduct before the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, for having a conflict of interest in his dealings with Patel as a patient. He received a reprimand and a fine. In 1996, in the same matter, he was convicted of defrauding her and of making a false statement by misrepresenting himself as part owner of Patel's restaurant to Nasim Jiwani ( mentioned earlier in this story) in order to get a $98,500 loan. Devgan's California clinic closed down a year ago, but he has clinics in Toronto and Tijuana. On his Web site, he claims his mission is to provide cancer patients the knowledge to make informative health decisions and avoiding toxic therapies that poison the human integrity. He then goes on to mention a company that uses natural treatments. A corporation search shows he is the sole director of that company. According to an import alert of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Devgan has been listed as having used several unapproved drugs that cannot be brought into the U.S. because they cannot vouch for their safety and effectiveness. |
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