Gerald Barnbaum
Encyclopedia
Gerald Barnbaum aka "Gerald Barnes", is a former pharmacist
and convicted felon who posed as a medical doctor
during the 1970s - 1990s.
Originally trained as a pharmacist, Barnbaum had lost his license in the aftermath of Medicaid
fraud charges in the mid-1970s. He moved to California
, and, after having legally changed his last name to Barnes, in 1976 stole the identity of a licensed medical doctor in Stockton
, Gerald Barnes, and worked steadily as a physician in the Los Angeles
and Southern California
region for the next few years.
However, in 1979, his negligence and lack of medical knowledge contributed to the death of John McKenzie, a 29-year-old undiagnosed Type I diabetic from Anaheim who had complained of a dry mouth, chronic thirst, dizziness, and rapid weight loss—classic signs of uncontrolled diabetes. Barnbaum gave him a drug for vertigo
and sent him home. His blood test came back a few days later, showing a blood glucose content of 1200 mg/dL—indicating severe hyperglycemia
. He was found dead in his apartment the same day. In the ensuing investigation, Barnbaum was exposed as an impostor. In 1980, he was charged with second-degree murder
in McKenzie's death; the charge was plea-bargained down to manslaughter
and practicing without a medical license
, for which he served only 19 months.
Despite McKenzie's death, after his release from prison and still on bail, Barnbaum continued to practice medicine fraudulently. He briefly served as a referral doctor, but was caught when he tried to apply for hospital privileges and the real Dr. Barnes blew the whistle. He was sent to prison four more times, but the state medical board never flagged the real Dr. Barnes' file.
In 1995, he obtained a position as staff physician at Executive Health Group, a Los Angeles
clinic that handled physical checkups on FBI agents. Depending on the source, Barnbaum investigated as few as 70 and as many as several hundred FBI agents in a year. However, he was unmasked when a new investigator for the state medical board inherited the Barnes case and questioned him. Under the weight of questioning, Barnbaum first feigned suicidal intent and then faked a heart attack. It later emerged that Barnbaum had misdiagnosed several patients and dispensed improper medications, in some cases resulting in patients losing their jobs.
Facing a stiff sentence in federal prison, Barnbaum pleaded guilty to mail fraud, unlawful dispensing of controlled substances and fraudulent use of a controlled substances registration. He as sentenced to 12 years in prison. Executive Health was later sued for battery, sexual battery and medical malpractice during Barnbaum's tenure there; the company agreed to pay $8 million in damages to almost 500 plaintiffs.
During a transfer to another prison in 2000, Barnbaum escaped and again found work as a physician; he was found and arrested by authorities less than a month later. He is now serving his sentence at the Englewood Federal Correction Institution in Littleton, Colorado
and is scheduled for release in 2018. The real Dr. Barnes spent several years repairing his credit and his reputation as a result of Barnbaum's fraud.
Barnbaum's case was profiled on Masterminds.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
and convicted felon who posed as a medical doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
during the 1970s - 1990s.
Originally trained as a pharmacist, Barnbaum had lost his license in the aftermath of Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
fraud charges in the mid-1970s. He moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and, after having legally changed his last name to Barnes, in 1976 stole the identity of a licensed medical doctor in Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, Gerald Barnes, and worked steadily as a physician in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
region for the next few years.
However, in 1979, his negligence and lack of medical knowledge contributed to the death of John McKenzie, a 29-year-old undiagnosed Type I diabetic from Anaheim who had complained of a dry mouth, chronic thirst, dizziness, and rapid weight loss—classic signs of uncontrolled diabetes. Barnbaum gave him a drug for vertigo
Vertigo
Vertigo is a form of dizziness.Vertigo may also refer to:* Vertigo , a 1958 film by Alfred Hitchcock**Vertigo , its soundtrack** Vertigo effect, or Dolly zoom, a special effect in film, named after the movie...
and sent him home. His blood test came back a few days later, showing a blood glucose content of 1200 mg/dL—indicating severe hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia or Hyperglycæmia, or high blood sugar, is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a glucose level higher than 13.5mmol/l , but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until even higher values such as 15-20 mmol/l...
. He was found dead in his apartment the same day. In the ensuing investigation, Barnbaum was exposed as an impostor. In 1980, he was charged with second-degree murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
in McKenzie's death; the charge was plea-bargained down to manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and practicing without a medical license
Medical license
In most countries, only persons with a medical license bestowed either by a specified government-approved professional association or a government agency are authorized to practice medicine. Licenses are not granted automatically to all people with medical degrees...
, for which he served only 19 months.
Despite McKenzie's death, after his release from prison and still on bail, Barnbaum continued to practice medicine fraudulently. He briefly served as a referral doctor, but was caught when he tried to apply for hospital privileges and the real Dr. Barnes blew the whistle. He was sent to prison four more times, but the state medical board never flagged the real Dr. Barnes' file.
In 1995, he obtained a position as staff physician at Executive Health Group, a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
clinic that handled physical checkups on FBI agents. Depending on the source, Barnbaum investigated as few as 70 and as many as several hundred FBI agents in a year. However, he was unmasked when a new investigator for the state medical board inherited the Barnes case and questioned him. Under the weight of questioning, Barnbaum first feigned suicidal intent and then faked a heart attack. It later emerged that Barnbaum had misdiagnosed several patients and dispensed improper medications, in some cases resulting in patients losing their jobs.
Facing a stiff sentence in federal prison, Barnbaum pleaded guilty to mail fraud, unlawful dispensing of controlled substances and fraudulent use of a controlled substances registration. He as sentenced to 12 years in prison. Executive Health was later sued for battery, sexual battery and medical malpractice during Barnbaum's tenure there; the company agreed to pay $8 million in damages to almost 500 plaintiffs.
During a transfer to another prison in 2000, Barnbaum escaped and again found work as a physician; he was found and arrested by authorities less than a month later. He is now serving his sentence at the Englewood Federal Correction Institution in Littleton, Colorado
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
and is scheduled for release in 2018. The real Dr. Barnes spent several years repairing his credit and his reputation as a result of Barnbaum's fraud.
Barnbaum's case was profiled on Masterminds.
Further information
- Inmate information from United States Bureau of Prisons
- John Carlova. "A Loaded Gun Waiting to Go Off." Medical Economics, 1/21/1985.
- Elizabeth Fernandez. Bizarre Medical Masquerade: Determined con man steals Stockton doctor's identity for 20 years. San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, 2/18/2001. - John Mesirow. Talk About The Long Con. LegalJuice.com, 6/29/2007.
- Kenneth B. Noble. Doctor's Specialty Turns Out to Be Masquerade. The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, 4/17/1996.