Malachi Love-Robinson, 18, posed as a doctor and opened his own office, police say. (Facebook)
A Florida teen has been accused of opening a fake medical practice and presenting himself as a doctor for several months.
Malachi Love-Robinson, 18, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of practicing medicine without a license, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office says.
Sheriff’s office and Florida Department of Health investigators began looking into Love-Robinson after receiving a complaint about him. According to the sheriff’s office, Love-Robinson opened an office in a West Palm Beach medical building in October 2015 and had been practicing illegally since then.
“Just because you saw a season of Grey’s Anatomy doesn’t mean you could practice medicine,” the sheriff’s office said on Twitter.
Love-Robinson is being held on $6,000 bail. The charge is a third-degree felony.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Was Caught Posing as a Gynecologist Last January & Was Not Charged
Malachi Love-Robinson. (Palm Beach County Sheriff)
Sources told the Sun-Sentinel that it Malachi Love-Robinson was the West Palm Beach teen who pretended to be a gynecologist last January, calling himself “Dr. Robinson.”
According to a January 2015 report by CBS News, the teen was caught pretending to be a doctor at a Florida OB/GYN office at the St. Mary’s Medical Center. The teen was reported to police by staff members after he was seen in a white lab coat, with a stethoscope and a face mask. He told staffers he had been a doctor “for years.”
Police said the teen did not come into contact with patients or access any patient care areas.
“The hospital immediately notified local authorities, who took the individual into custody, and we are cooperating with their ongoing investigation,” a spokesperson said at the time. “The safety and security of patients is our highest priority.”
The teen was not arrested and his mother told CBS News her son is under the care of a doctor and refused to take any medication.
Dr. Sebastian Kent, who the teen introduced himself to as a doctor last January, told the Sun-Sentinel he was shocked to hear he’d been arrested.
“I’ve been in practice for 36 years, this is the first time something like this has happened,” he said. “It’s very strange. Very, very strange.”
“This guy can schmooze his way around, he can tell any story you want to hear,” Kent said. “That’s what he tried to do with me — he tried to ingratiate himself with me so I would take him around, and after a while it started to not make sense to me. I thought something was wrong.”
Love-Robinson told WPBF-TV in January his previous run-in with the law was a misunderstanding.
“I requested to shadow some physicians, next thing I know, the cops are there,” he said. “This story was broadcast everywhere, like I’m some insane maniac who is just out here doing crazy things.”
“I didn’t operate, I didn’t reach into someone’s uterus, I didn’t snatch up a baby,” he said.
2. He Created a Website & Even Had Staff Members at His West Palm Beach Office
Malachi Love-Robinson set up a website for his fake medical practice, police say.
Love-Robinson created a website and Facebook page for his fake medical practice, authorities said. He called the practice the “New Birth New Life Medical Center & Urgent Care, LLC.”
The website claims:
New Birth New Life Medical Center & Urgent Care’s mission is to provide personalized, high-quality Holistic and Alternative Medical care on an as-needed or preventative basis. We have created a practice that we believe in and choose for our own family members.
We are a full-service holistic family practice of dedicated and experienced medical professionals who believe in working with our patients to maintain and improve their health. We work together to serve your entire family for all of your medical needs in all stages of life. Our medical professionals believe in providing comprehensive health care services to our patients in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. We also believe in educating our patients as we work with them to achieve there best physical state possible.
The website lists two other staff members, who he posed for photos with on Facebook, one an operations director and the other a program director with 40 years of experience as the founder and CEO of Palm Beach County’s leading HIV/AIDS organization.
He held a grand opening event for the office in January.
Love-Robinson posted Facebook photos of apparent medical licenses and documents in October, writing as a caption, “Someone once told me that I was destined for greatness and well I thank GOD I did it.”
(Facebook)
He created a HealthGrades.com page, claiming to be a 25-year-old specialist in naturopathy:
I am a well rounded proffessional that treats, and cares for patients, using a system of practice that bases treatment of physiological functions and abnormal conditions on natural laws governing the human body. I utilize physiological, psychological, and mechanical methods, such as air, water, light, heat, earth, phototherapy, food and herb therapy, psychotherapy, electrotherapy, physiotherapy, minor and orificial surgery, mechanotherapy, naturopathic corrections and manipulation, and natural methods or modalities, together with natural medicines, natural processed foods, and herbs and nature’s remedies. This excludes major surgery, therapeutic use of x ray and radium, and use of drugs, except those assimilable substances containing elements or compounds which are components of body tissues and are physiologically compatible to body processes for maintenance of life. .
(Screengrab via HealthGrades.com)
He said he specializes in naturopathy, psychology and mental health and performs procedures including detoxification, exercise counseling, hydrotherapy, nutritional counseling and stress management. He claimed to treat ADHD, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, psychiatric diseases, psychosis and substance abuse.
Love-Robinson also claimed to be a minister on at the New Birth Outreach, saying he “is an ordained minister and an Honorary Doctoral Alumni in the ULife Church as we’ll as COGIC and specializes in philosophical theology, religious epistemology, and Christian apologetics. His doctoral thesis at the ULC, explored the paradoxical nature of certain Christian doctrines and the implications for the rationality of Christian faith.”
“Dr. Love-Robinson served as an Minister at the New Birth Outreach Church where he engaged in regular preaching, teaching, and pastoral ministry. Dr Love-Robinson is now and advocate for ULC and all Associations in which he represents and intends to bring much good to community one blessing at a time,” he wrote.
3. Police Say He Conducted a Physical Exam & Offered Medical Advice to an Undercover Agent
(Facebook)
Investigators set up a sting operation during the investigation into “Dr. Malachi Love,” police said in a statement.
Th Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Health said they “conducted an undercover operation at the medical office of Love-Robinson. During this undercover operation, Love-Robinson performed a physical exam on an undercover agent and offered medical advice. Love-Robinson was arrested by (the sheriff’s office) and booked on the charge of practicing medicine without a license. Department of Health served a notice to cease and desist and issued Love-Robinson several citations.”
He was previously investigated and cited by the Department of Health for practicing medicine without a license in October 2015, the sheriff’s office said.
They undercover operation was set up after he did not stop, police said.
Love-Robinson was interviewed by the WPBF-TV after his arrest.
EXCLUSIVE- told you 1st @ 6 – teen posing as doctor was same kid who posed last year at #StMary‘s – MORE @ 11
“These allegations and accusations will be cleared up and you will hear from my lawyer,” he told the news station. “I’m hurt because of the accusations and the allegations, but like I said, this is not the first time where I’ve been accused and I will pursue this.”
Concerned family members reported Love-Robinson to the news station and the health department after his grand opening party and Facebook posts.
He also told the news station the websites in his name don’t claim he is a “medical doctor.” He also claimed he wouldn’t be acting as a doctor at his new office, he would just be managing it.
4. His Grandfather Says He Thought His Grandson’s Medical Practice Was ‘Legit’
(Facebook)
Love-Robinson’s grandfather, William McKenzie, told WPTV that he thought is in disbelief about the allegations.
“Well once he opened up the office and the practice I felt like it was something legit that he’s trying to do,” said McKenzie. “If he has slipped and did something wrong I just ask everybody pray for him.”
Another doctor in the building where McKenzie-Love opened his fake practice said the suite was empty until a few weeks ago.
“I’ve heard of these things happening, but you’re right, I never thought it would happen in this building,” Dr. Allen Schultz, an oncologist, told WPTV. “All of a sudden I saw the name on the door there. I never saw the person. I never saw anybody even working in there.”
The news station said the medical building’s directory listed Love-Robinson’s name and his “qualifications,” including that he had a PhD.
“He’s not out doing drugs, he’s not out trying to rob nobody,” his grandfather told the Sun-Sentinel. “He’s trying to do something constructive, and if he did do something and the paperwork wasn’t right — he can get ahead of himself sometimes and he may have been trying too hard, but he had good intentions.”
But police told WPBF-TV that they believe Love-Robinson may have actually stolen from a woman as part of his alleged fraud.
A detective said Love-Robinson visited an 86-year-old woman who said she wasn’t feeling well. He told her she needed to go to the hospital, and an ambulance was called. Police said when she was being put into the ambulance, she asked him to put her purse back in her house. Investigators say Love-Robinson instead stole her checks and began cashing them.
5. He Claimed on Facebook That He Has Been Battling Kidney Cancer
Love-Robinson also made a recent Facebook post claiming to be battling cancer. (Facebook)
Love-Robinson also recently made a Facebook post claiming that he has cancer:
For 3 months now I have been battling stage 2 Kidney Cancer. It has been a rough journey and hopefully a light is soon to show. Along with that identity theft has began to surface and now I’m fighting that. Patients of NBNL and Friends and Family, Take care of your self and your family including your finances and your Health and Life. This illness has given me a huge wake up call. Although I trust my colleagues fullest and I am in great faith that I’ll be ok always remember that Life can be very short so make the best out of it.
It’s not clear if he is actually ill.
Love-Robinson also made posts seeming to defend himself from claims that he was not a real doctor:
Good Morning FaceBook, I have learned that this thing can cause a feud like no other. We sit here and we can curse on Facebook and show ourselves half naked on Facebook we can do all manner of things but yet we can’t give someone the benefit of doubt when they at least look like there doing good. You talk on things you know nothing about, you judge situations that you have never been in. You condemn people and hurt them and gossip about them but will look at them as though when there around like they mean so much. Love is love and dislike is dislike pick a side that you’ll show the most and stay there. No one is a requesting a belief party but I was taught if you have nothing nice to say then just don’t say anything at all. And P.S I wouldn’t want to open your closet because I know I have junk in mine and I couldn’t stand to see the junk in yours. Remember where you were and where are now and where your trying to get to. When you get there look back and I guarantee you you’ll so confused as to who was with you. I have on my side and that’s all I need. I love family but I love God more and he will come first. I opened m practice to help people and that’s exactly what I will do.
He also posted descriptions of the training he claimed to have completed.
Jealousy can be as deadly as an atomic bomb. Accusations can be as hurtful as a knife in your back, but to FAMILY MEMBERS and FRIENDS especially the ones who chooses to believe what they want and who seem to have a problem anytime someone else is doing pretty ok, just know I’m praying for you. See not every medical professional who is referenced as Dr is a Surgeon, and I’m just going to let that soak in. It’s hurtful when your family rather run and gossip then ask a simple question. If you want to know simply ask because some things are merely ACCUSATIONS and YES I am proud of who I am and who i have become, and this message is to everyone.
Several Facebook posters have left jokes and other comments on Love-Robinson’s page since he was arrested.
