State: Doc Traded Prescription Drugs for Sexual Favors

A Southfield physician faces a dozen felony charges for trading prescription drugs for sexual favors, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said.

Dr. John Ronald Verbovsky, 67, was charged with criminal sexual conduct, racketeering, drug dealing and Medicaid fraud, Schuette said in a news release. Among the dozen charges are two first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges, punishable by up to life in prison.

“Physicians are supposed to heal their patients, not exploit them,” Schuette said in a news release. “We will aggressively prosecute anyone attempting to compromise the integrity of our health-care system at the expense of patient safety and taxpayers’ dollars.”

Verbovsky is an osteopathic physician who practices at Stout Family Medicine in Detroit and Progressive Family Medicine in Sterling Heights.

The charges follow a months-long investigation. Andrea Vitely, a spokeswoman for Schuette, said “the charges are based on two victims,” the Detroit Free Press reports.

Investigators allege Verbovsky prescribed controlled substances based not upon medical need, but instead to coerce sexual favors and money from patients.

The investigation also revealed that the Medicaid program was allegedly billed and paid for prescriptions that were written by Verbovsky without medical necessity.

Anyone with more information is asked to call investigators at (800 242-2873.

Verbovsky surrendered himself to the court on Tuesday and was arraigned in 54B District Court in East Lansing on the following charges:

• Two counts of first degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, a felony punishable by up to life or any term of years in prison; and,
• One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise - Racketeering, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine; and,
• One count of Conspiracy to Deliver less than 50 grams of a Controlled Substance, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $35,000 fine; and,
• Nine counts of Medicaid Fraud - False Claim, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.

Judge Andrea Larkin granted a $50,000 personal recognizance bond. Verbovsky is next due in court for his pre-exam conference at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 20. His preliminary exam is set for Feb. 26, also before Ball.

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