Teen who impersonated a physician sentenced to prison

A West Palm Beach, Florida, man has been sentenced to prison for posing as a physician as a teenager. Malachi Love-Robinson was 17 years old when he was first caught impersonating a physician at St. Mary’s Medical Center in January 2015, during which time he sat in on at least one gynecology exam and was seen roaming the halls of the hospital wearing a stethoscope and white lab coat.

In October 2015, Love-Robinson then opened a clinic in Boynton Beach, which he shut down after the Florida Department of Health issued a cease-and-desist order. State investigators found that Love-Robinson was leading to public to believe he was a licensed physician despite not holding an active license.

Love-Robinson was arrested in early 2016 after officials received a tip that he was again practicing medicine without a license from an office called The New Birth New Life Medical Center. An undercover officer went to Love-Robinson’s office for an exam, during which he claimed to be a “doctor of homeopathic medicine.”

Earlier this month, Love-Robinson, now 20 years old, agreed to three and a half years in prison with credit for 16 months already served, according to the Sun Sentinel. He was facing up to 90 years in prison based on 14 criminal charges. Upon his release, he must repay his victims $80,000.

The terms of the plea deal had Love-Robinson plead guilty to one count of practicing medicine without a license, as well as charges of practicing naturopathy without a license and grand theft. The grand theft allegations stemmed from home visits Love-Robinson made to an elderly patient who found him online. During one of the visits, the patient became too ill and needed to be transported to the hospital by ambulance. According to the patient, Love-Robinson advised her not to keys and purse with her. She later found her bank account had been emptied by Love-Malachi who cashed more than $34,000 in fraudulent checks.

In September 2016, while out on bond, Love-Robinson was arrested in Stafford County, Virginia, trying to use his godmother’s personal information to purchase a $35,000 car. He pleaded guilty to his charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with nine years suspended, and was extradited back to Florida.

Source: Sun Sentinel