Grand Theft in Dentistry: Bostonian Pseudo Dentist Stole Thousands of Dollars From Clients' Cards

This story may become a basis for criminal movies about professional fraudsters like "Catch Me if You Can." In May, the manager of the Bostonian dental clinic named Forest Hills Dental was indicted for unlicensed dental practice and larceny.

According to the Attorney General's Office (AGO), 69-year-old Fritz Gabriel falsely represented himself as a licensed dentist and conducted the tooth extraction on MassHealth – a local organization that pays for the treatment of low-income citizens – and left her with an exposed root in the jaw. After that, he billed the organization for his unlicensed dental services, which is obviously illegal in the state.

What's next?

This month, AGO alleged that Gabriel committed even more crimes. As it turned out, he used the registrations and credentials of an actual dentist without any permission to prescribe drugs, including controlled ones, such as Percocet and Hydrocodone.

And that's not all! AGO also claimed that Gabriel utilized patient credit cards, stealing about $6,000 through unauthorized purchases, including $5,000 in charges for a clinic where he worked. Additionally, the investigator found out that he helped the patient open the credit card and then fraudulently utilized it without the victim's knowledge.

In court on 17 December, Gabriel pleaded not guilty to charges and was released on personal recognizance.

The scale of fraud is impressive – one-(old)man-army covered all possible crimes he could have committed in his position in the dental clinic: stolen credit cards, fraudulent prescriptions, bills, and unlicensed dental practice. Fortunately, thanks to the AGO Medical Fraud Division, such arrogance has not gone unnoticed.

Be aware of fraudsters in medicine; besides the money, they could severely damage your health.

*Cover obtained from NBCBoston.