Smithtown Man Charged With Running Illegal Health Clinic: SCDA

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — A Smithtown man was arrested and charged after he posed as a medical professional and illegally ran a health clinic where he injected patients with steroids, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini said Friday.

Brian Michael Kaufman, 45, of Smithtown, faces 12 charges, including identity theft and selling drugs.

"This individual put lives in danger and posed a clear threat to public health by masquerading as a medical practitioner," Sini said in a statement. "He did not have patients; he had victims. We are asking those victims to please contact the District Attorney’s Office with any information they may have about Kaufman’s alleged scam."

Sini announced the arrest with Ray Donovan, a New York-based DEA agent.

An investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the DEA’s Long Island Tactical Diversion Squad uncovered evidence that from as early as August 2019, Kaufman was running a medical practice called Men’s Health of Smithtown, at 329 E. Middle Country Road, Smithtown, despite not having a medical license, Sini said.

Kaufman claimed to be a medical professional and would treat patients, including injecting them with testosterone, prosecutors said. He also told employees of his clinic to perform injections or other medical procedures, such as drawing blood, Sini said. When he was arrested, Kaufman admitted to law enforcement that he was not licensed to practice any medical profession and had no training to provide medical services or provide testosterone replacement therapy, the SCDA said.

The investigation revealed Kaufman ordered testosterone, a Schedule III controlled substance, by using the information of licensed physician assistants working at his office without their permission or authority, Sini said.

During the investigation, a search warrant was executed at Men’s Health Clinic on Feb. 19, which resulted in the recovery of unused syringes, blank prescription labels, and various bottled prescriptions and controlled substances in manufacturers' containers, the SCDA said.

"This case is significant because it unearthed a convicted felon playing doctor who jeopardized his ‘patients’ lives," Donovan said. "In order to safeguard our communities, law enforcement has to act fast when they see someone threatening public health and safety. In this case, Brian Kaufman’s alleged testosterone trafficking ring put people in harm’s way while committing several crimes."

The District Attorney’s Office is asking any people who received medical services from Kaufman or at Men’s Health of Smithtown to call the District Attorney’s Office at 631-853-8087.

Kaufman was arraigned Thursday and released with conditions of GPS monitoring, drug testing, and a travel restriction that he must stay in New York State. He is due back in court March 24.

Kaufman's 12 charges are all felonies and include three counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, three counts of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, first-degree reckless endangerment, two counts of first-degree identity theft, two counts of second-degree identity theft and unauthorized practice of a profession.

If convicted of the top count, Kaufman faces a minimum sentence of two to four years in prison and a maximum sentence of three and one-half to seven years in prison. Kaufman was previously convicted in New York State for first-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree grand larceny, in addition to two previous convictions in Florida for trafficking cocaine and trafficking illegal drugs, the SCDA said.

These are photos of the medical office Kaufman is accused of running: