Florida Teen's 'Medical Career' Ends With Arrest

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — Putting on a lab coat and hanging a shingle outside an office door does not a doctor make.

An 18-year-old Florida man found that out the hard way Tuesday when the Florida Department of Health and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies teamed up to put the kibosh on his alleged illegal medical practice.

According to authorities, Malachi A. Love-Robinson recently opened up the New Birth New Life Holistic and Alternative Medical Center and Urgent Care on West Palm Beach’s Congress Avenue. He even launched a Facebook page for the practice and reportedly had a website up and running.

See Also:

• Witnesses Knocked Out Armed Robber, Cops Say
• Rolex Switch-A-Roo New Twist On Craigslist Theft

The problem, according to the state, is that Love-Robinson bypassed all the pesky and time-consuming training and licensing required by law when he opened the clinic. What’s more, an undercover operation revealed he was practicing medicine without the credentials to do so. It seems Love-Robinson is accused of giving an agent a physical exam and offering up medical advice in the process.

That was enough for the Florida Department of Health’s Unlicensed Activity Unit and Palm Beach deputies to bring the “doctor” into custody. Love-Robinson now faces a long list of charges following his Tuesday arrest. Palm Beach County Jail records indicate he’s been charged with practicing medicine without a license, grand theft, forgery and fraud. He was being held in the Palm Beach County Jail Wednesday in lieu of $21,000 bond.

While it remains unclear just how Love-Robinson funded his medical adventure, the state says the case serves a reminder to residents to take advantage of the department’s website to check on healthcare providers’ licensing status. The website offers a lookup feature at www.flhealthsource.gov.

Booking photo courtesy of the Palm Beach County Jail