Category: Provider Hall of Shame

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Steven Brigham went to jail for insurance fraud and tax evasion. More troubling than that, his license was revoked in New York due to botched abortions. He continued to practice, and his license was stripped in Florida for the same reason.Four years later, New Jersey regulators somehow found Brigham competent to perform abortions after the state attorney general filed 14 counts of negligence, gross negligence, malpractice and professional misconduct concerning five abortions in New Jersey and New York.

Brigham retired his Pennsylvania medical license as he was being investigated for a clinic he ran in Wyomissing, near Reading, Pennsylvania.

Brigham’s attorney claimed the New York investigation was unconstitutional and an attempt to undermine women’s right to access abortions by setting impossible standards, including requiring formal agreement with a hospital in case of emergency. Brigham continued to describe himself as “a champion of a woman’s right to abortion” and “a victim of political persecution.”

Here are only three examples of women he maimed.

# Brigham nearly killed patient “Millie” by performing a dangerous — and illegal — third-trimester abortion on her in his office. See story here.

# Complications of abortion on a late term abortion patient identified as “J.K.”

# Brigham kept yanking with forceps on patient “Anne’s” internal organs, even when it was clear that he wasn’t pulling out fetal parts. He nearly eviscerated her.

The revocation of Brigham’s license in New York State didn’t stop him from operating two abortion clinics in the state. He also performed second-trimester abortions in New Jersey, despite a February 1994 order from the New Jersey medical board limiting him to first-trimester abortions (up to 15 weeks). On August 19, 1993, Brigham told a patient at his New Jersey clinic that she was 16-20 weeks pregnant. He allegedly offered to abort her child in New York for $5,000 to $10,000. The baby girl was then 32-35 weeks’ gestation and was born on September 15, weighing a healthy 6 pounds, 7 ounces.

Brigham voluntarily surrendered his medical license in Pennsylvania after allegations of fraudulent concealment of intention when signing a lease; operating an uninspected and illegally run clinic in a basement in Sinking Spring, after being banned from doing abortions at his Wyomissing office; lack of formal backup with any hospital, and accepting personal property and jewelry as collateral for abortion fees. He voluntarily surrendered his medical license in Georgia when the board notified him of its intent to suspend his license due to allegations in New York and New Jersey.

Brigham was also locked out of his Erie, Pennsylvania abortion clinic when the building’s condominium association said he owed $15,000 in membership fees, and changed the locks on the doors because of his refusal to pay. “Just because he wants to operate an abortion clinic, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to follow the rules. We totally support the function of law enforcement. The man [Brigham] just seems to ignore any rules of business and law,” said association president Eugene Ware. Brigham said “I don’t think they can change the locks. This is going to end up in court.”

On October 17, 2000, Erie District Justice John Vendetti issued a warrant for Brigham’s arrest due to his failure to appear at a number of court hearings.

In late 2001, the New York State attorney general initiated a grand jury investigation in Albany County regarding alleged Medicaid fraud at American Women’s Services, an abortion mill on Central Avenue in Colonie, and another related abortion mill in Nanuet, Rockland County. The state shut both clinics on May 22, 2001. On September 16, 2001, Colonie police seized 17 frozen aborted fetuses from abortions performed at the Colonie site. The clinic failed to dispose of the fetuses within 30 days, as required by law, according to the state Health Department. State investigators are trying to determine who owned and operated the American Women’s Services abortuary, which opened October 1, 1994, without the required state license. According to state corporation listings, Brigham owned a company called American Women’s Services, which was dissolved in September 1993. “We are trying to determine his relationship to the clinic,” said Wes Goforth, a spokesman in New York City for the state the attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Unit. Bank statements for American Women’s Services show Brigham was an authorized signature on the accounts, according to court testimony by Special Assistant Attorney General John Meekins of the attorney general’s office.

Eventually, Brigham moved to the town of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, where he opened an abortion clinic called American Women’s Services in April 2001. His reputation was so bad at this point that even Carol Petraitis of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said she would not refer women to a facility Brigham owned. She said “It seems to me if I were sending a friend, you wouldn’t want to go to a clinic that was run by somebody who has so many problems with his own medical license.”

Vicki Saporta, executive director of the National Abortion Federation, said “Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures provided in America … because of the quality and skill of the doctors that provide abortions. And Steven Brigham is an exception to this rule.”

Melinda DuBois, director of Buffalo Womenservices, currently Buffalo’s only abortion clinic, said that “There are a lot of people who know this man. He owns clinics all over the place. He has a really negative past. We are concerned about a physician whose license has been revoked in New York State and has questionable medical practices.”

References: “State Report: Illinois: Investigation on Abortionist.” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, September 11, 1989; The Province, September 10, 1990; Reading Eagle-Times, September 1, 6, 7, 11, 17, 19, 20, and 27, 1991, October 3 and 20, 1991, and February 22, 1992; Administrative Review Board Decision and Order Number ARB #94-98 & #94-146; Middlesex County Superior Court Docket #L-5004-94; New York Post, January 7, 1994; Newark Star-Ledger, January 7, 1994; Newark Star-Ledger, June 1, 1994; Rockland Journal-News, August 3, 1994; Reuters America, September 28, 1994; Pensacola News Journal, September 28, 1994; Florida Times Union, September 29, 1994; New York Times, September 30, 1994; Asbury Park Press, October 25, 1994; New Jersey Record, October 25, 1994; New York Times, November 23, 1994; “State Reports: New Jersey: Provider Malpractice Hearing Continues.” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, November 23, 1994; News-Tribune, December 6, 1994; Trenton Times, November 19, 1994; Newark Star-Ledger, December 7, 1994; Rockland Journal-News, December 10, 1994; Philadelphia Inquirer, December 15, 1994; Trenton Times, December 15, 1994; Atlantic City Press, December 15, 1994; Star-Ledger, December 16, 1994; Courier-Post, December 22, 1994; Pensacola News Journal, December 22, 1994; “State Reports: New Jersey: Abortion Provider’s License Restored.” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, June 10, 1996; “State Reports: Florida: Follows NJ, NY & PA Taking Action vs. Brigham.” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, June 10, 1996; “State Reports – New York: Abortion Providers Charged.” Kaiser Family Foundation Daily Reproductive Health Report at www.kff.org, January 24, 1997; Abortion Facility Owner Convicted of Insurance Fraud.” Steven Ertelt’s Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org/infonet.html, February 12, 1998; Tim Graham and Clay Waters. “Roe Warriors: The Media’s Pro-Abortion Bias.” Media Research Council report, July 22, 1998; “Men Behaving Really Badly.” Life Insight [publication of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)]. October 1998 [Volume 9, Number 8]; Susan E. Wills. “Back to the Alley Clinical Psychosis.” National Review, November 13, 1998; “Sylvia Moore, 1968-1986.” The American Feminist [Feminists for Life of America], Spring 1999; Associated Press, October 14, 1999; “Former Abortion Practitioner Avoids Jail in Fraud Case.” Pro-Life Infonet, October 14, 1999; “Unethical Abortion Practitioner Begins 120-day Jail Sentence.” Pro-Life Infonet, February 8, 2000; Associated Press, March 28, 2000; “Office Building Locks Out New Jersey Abortion Practitioner.” Pro-Life Infonet, March 30, 2000; “Warrant Issued for the Arrest of Pennsylvania Abortion Practitioner.” Pro-Life Infonet, October 18, 2000; WSEE TV-35 [Erie, Pennsylvania], October 18, 2000; “Disciplined Abortionist May Open Abortion Facility in Buffalo.” Buffalo News, March 3, 2002; Kevin Dale. “Debate Over ‘Clinic’ in Upper Merion Turns on a Zoning Rule.” Philadelphia Inquirer, March 4, 2002; Pro-Life Infonet, March 5, 2002.

Credit: Christina Dunigan, Abortionviolence.com

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Harvey Brookman had his license suspended for reasons because he practiced medicine without malpractice insurance, gave expired drugs to his patients, allowed unlicensed staff members to administer those drugs, failed to check his patients’ age and identity, and performed abortions without a licensed registered nurse present. Each time his license was suspended in one state, he moved on to another.

He was an abortionist at Erie’s American Women’s Services abortion clinic from September 2003 until April 2004, when he was finally fired for not having a medical license. He also performed abortions in the Philadelphia suburb of King of Prussia and worked for two years as an “independent contractor physician” at the State College Medical Services abortion clinic.

In 2005, the State of Pennsylvania filed an amended list of complaints against Brookman. The amended complaint noted that Brookman perforated a teenager’s uterus and colon during an abortion at the King of Prussia abortion clinic, and now faces a lawsuit filed by her.

Brookman had his medical license revoked or suspended New Jersey and New York 1996, and it was previously suspended by Pennsylvania in 1995. According to the New York Department of Health, Brookman routinely examined the uteruses of pregnant women without a medical reason. He was also found guilty of maintaining inadequate patient records and altering others.

Shortly after Brookman was charged, the other abortionist on the American Women’s Services abortion clinic, Gerald Applegate, was found to have been on probation with the state for prescribing controlled substances to his wife. Shortly afterwards, the clinic closed down.

References: Associated Press. “Erie’s Only Abortion Clinic Has Controversial Year.” September 19, 2004; Newswatch Channel 16 News [Erie, Pennsylvania]. “Doctor at Closed Erie Abortion Clinic Cited by State.” February 11, 2005; Maria Vitale Gallagher. “Pennsylvania Abortion Practitioner Has Medical License Suspended.” LifeNews.com, April 21, 2005. in State College, Pennsylvania.

Credit: Abortionviolence.com

 

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Milan D. Chepko, who performed abortions at the clinic New Women Medical Center, was arrested and charged in Federal court with forcing minors to engage in “kiddie porn” movies, producing the movies, conspiracy with others to produce the movies, and shipping them across state lines. The movies involved children of four years of age in many cases being sodomized by adults, having sex with adult men and women, and also depicted oral sex between men and very young boys.

According to an affidavit filed in Federal court, Chepko’s van contained evidence that he and his correspondents “… are members or supporters of the National and International Diaper Pail Foundation, in which the members are infantilists who enjoy wearing diapers, defecating in the diapers, and smearing the defecation on the body while masturbating. They are also interested in the defecation of small children.”

The charges against the abortionist included inducing or coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing movies, knowingly shipping the movies across state lines, and using a false name or making a false statement to a U.S. agency.

Federal authorities found child pornography in Chepko’s house, including videos with titles like “Diaper Dump.” An FBI affidavit also states that Chepko admitted to mailing and receiving through the mail child pornography. The tapes contained scenes with children as young as four years old in sexual conduct with adult males and females. One incident allegedly involved children and adults engaged in sodomy. Chepko was also fined for taping FBI telephone conversations in the investigation of the disappearance of a Jackson, Mississippi woman.

Milan Chepko was convicted of two counts of interstate transportation of child pornography, one count of mailing obscene matter, one count of conspiracy to distribute obscene videotapes, and one count of using a false name to rent a PO Box. A federal judge barred Chepko from practicing medicine, contacting minors, or have anything to do with members of the Diaper Pail Fraternity. He was sentenced to 13 months in a federal jail and fined $6000. He served only 10 months.

The abortionist’s medical license was revoked in Georgia in 1990, in Mississippi in 1991, in North Carolina and New Jersey in 1992. His medical license was permanently revoked at the Federal level on January 17, 1991.

In 1993, Chepko was back in federal court, charged with a 1992 scam to get a court-appointed lawyer for free. He wanted to fight to get his medical license back. He told court officials he was broke, but it turned out that he had buried more than 1/2 million dollars in cash in his backyard. He was quoted saying, “I do not think I did anything that was improper or illegal.” Chepko went back to prison for 10 more months.

Reference: Jackson Herald, September 30, 1989; Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure vs. Milan Chepko; “Just a Coincidence?” Focus on the Family Citizen, February 1990, page 5; Paul Likoudis. “Investigators Cast a Wide Net To Find Abortionist’s Murderer.” The Wanderer, December 10, 1998, pages 1 and 10; Clarion-Ledger, September 30 and October 3 and 19, 1989; Associated Press, September 30 and October 3, 1989. Associated Press 8/21/93

Credit: Abortionviolence.com

 

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Abortionist Allan Zarkin had a long history of sexually harassing his women patients at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. But he went too far when he carved his initials into Liana Gedz’ abdomen after operating on her. When asked why he committed this atrocious act, Zarkin airily responded that “he thought he did such a beautiful job, he thought he should sign it.”

Zarkin (now called “Zorro” in the medical community) was hired on as medical director of the Choices Women’s Medical Center, a Queens abortion clinic, on November 1, 1999, shortly after being fired from Beth Israel on September 17. He had been doing abortions at this clinic since 1983. When the director of the abortion mill learned of the Beth Israel incident, she dismissed him the same day.

Gedz sued the Beth Israel Medical Center and Zarkin for $5.5 million, charging that the incident left her physically and emotionally scarred. Zarkin’s lawyer, Kenneth J. Platzer, said that “Our legal response to the lawsuit was that what was done was not a willful or intentional act,” leading pro-lifers to wonder what on earth would constitute a “willful or intentional act.”

Zarkin eventually settled for $1.75 million in exchange for Gedz dropping her claim against the Beth Israel Medical Center, where Zarkin assaulted her. Gedz said that what Zarkin did to her made her feel “like a branded animal.”

Zarkin has had his medical license suspended, and the Manhattan district attorney’s office is also investigating him. The abortion clinic did not bother to check Zarkin’s credentials before hiring him, a violation of state law.

The Department of Health is also investigating at least two allegations of sexual harassment against Zarkin. In one instance, a patient filed a complaint stating that Zarkin made increasingly lewd remarks to her over a period three years. He finally told her that he was taking Viagra three times per day and masturbating in the shower.

Shortly afterwards, on February 11, 2000, the Choices Women’s Medical Center was closed after authorities discovered that the abortion clinic performed “hasty” abortions, lacked the required equipment and infection control, failed to properly screen and monitor employees and did not have enough nurses. The clinic was fined $20,000 and closed until it could rectify the situation.

The clinic continued to refer women to other locations.

References: Jennifer Steinhauer and Edward Wong. “How System Let Doctor Work After Carving Incident.” The New York Times, January 27, 2000; “Chronology: A Doctor’s Past Outpaces the Safety System.” The New York Times, January 27, 2000; “Abortionist Carved Initials Into Woman’s Stomach.” LifeSite Daily News at http://www.lifesite.net, February 4, 2000; “Abortionist Carver Settles Out of Court.” LifeSite Daily News, February 14, 2000; “New York Abortuary Closed for Breach of Regulations.” LifeSite Daily News, February 18, 2000; Steve Dunbleavy. “Closed Abortion Facility Refers Women to Others.” New York Post Editorial, February 23, 2000; “Doctor Who Left Initials on Patient Quits Medicine.” Reuters, April 25, 2000; “Initial Carving Abortion Practitioner Gets Probation.” Steven Ertelt’s Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org/infonet.html, April 27, 2000. “Are There Any Feminists Left?” Catalyst [Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights], June 2000, page 5; “Abortionist ‘Dr. Zorro’ Gets Probation Only.” LifeSite Daily News at http://www.lifesite.net, May 31, 2000.

Credit; Abortionviolence.com

 

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In 1988, Abortionist David Gluch’s New York license was revoked for three years after “he conspired with other individuals over a five-month period to engage in the criminal sale of a controlled substance.

Respondent was sentenced to five years probation. Gambling therapy was one of the terms of probation.” The controlled substance in question was “approximately 48,000 four milligram tablets of Dilaudid.”

References: Correspondence and documents relating to Calendar #0011018, Order #83383136, Case #11097; New York Daily News, September 17, 1994; and New York Newsday, September 17, 1994.

Source; Abortionviolence.com

 

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Abortionist Wyman E. Garrett of Newark lost his license to practice medicine in April 1987 when the state charged him with 40 counts of malpractice and negligence, including the case where he killed two women, 14 and 30 years old, after committing illegal late-term abortions on them.

He continued to commit abortions even after the medical board ordered him to stop doing them.

State prosecutors charged Garrett with additional shortcomings in abortion practice, including performing an abortion resulting in a live birth, leaving a fetal head in one woman’s uterus, leaving a dead preborn child in another woman’s abdominal cavity, falsifying medical records to indicate no complications when a woman had suffered uterine ruptures and massive blood loss.

Garrett pleaded no contest to these charges. His judge said Garrett “had a cavalier attitude toward patient safety.” Garrett’s testimony allegedly called complications “frivolous” and referred to his patients as “pachyderms” and “actresses.” After the judge fined Garrett $170,000 and requested revocation of his license, he performed an abortion in his office and then tried to get a date with the woman, and that he offered to perform an abortion in his office on an undercover police officer.

References: Newark Star, February 12, 1987; Anti-Life Report. “Butcher of Newark Loses License.” ALL About Issues, July-August 1987, pages 14 and 15.

Credit; Abortionviolence.com

 

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Abortionist Mark Binder, who performed abortions at abortionist Stephen Chase Brigham’s abortion clinics in Colonie and Nanuet, N.Y., was charged by the New York State Board of Professional Medical Conduct with 18 counts of gross negligence, gross incompetence, conduct evidencing moral unfitness, and fraud.

He instructed an ultrasound technician to falsify readings on gestational age so that preborn babies over 24 weeks would appear to be under New York’s legal age limit. He tried to escape prosecution overseas, and was sentenced for Medicaid fraud in October 1999. He pleaded guilty August 9, 1999 to two counts of grand larceny and one count of false filing following a nine-month investigation by the state attorney general’s office. He admitted to double-billing the State for Medicaid services and demanding cash for procedures already covered under Medicaid. For example, some women paid $160 for sonograms and $95 for follow-up exams, both of which were already paid for.

Binder had worked at the American Women’s Services Clinic in the Albany suburb of Colonie, along with abortionist Stephen Chase Brigham. The two abortionists opened the abortion facility in April 1994. Colonie police shut it down in May 1996 when Binder refused to turn over financial records. Binder served several weeks in jail then. The state Department of Health revoked Binder’s license in March of 1997. Four months later, Police seized 17 frozen unborn children from the facility. Binder fled the country and spent the next three years eluding authorities in 10 countries. He was apprehended by Interpol in Hong Kong in April 1999.

References: “Men Behaving Really Badly.” Life Insight [publication of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)]. October 1998 [Volume 9, Number 8]; Susan E. Wills. “Back to the Alley Clinical Psychosis.” National Review, November 13, 1998; “Former Abortion Practitioner Avoids Jail in Fraud Case.” Steven Ertelt’s Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org/infonet.html, October 14, 1999; and Associated Press, October 14, 1999.

Credit: Abortioviolence.com

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Abortionist Justin Charles Terra had his medical license revoked when it was proven that he routinely aborted women who were not pregnant. Of 24 women he aborted in 1987, only 2 had been confirmed pregnant, and the remaining 22 were inconclusive or confirmed not pregnant.

Medical charts “showed a pattern of incomplete record keeping, apparently deliberate misdiagnoses of pregnancy to justify abortion, and negligent medical procedures during the operations.” His appeal to regain his medical license was denied. He also butchered at least a dozen other women in botched abortions, then fled to Austria to avoid charges.

References: New York Daily News, December 15, 1987 and November 22, 1991; Anti-Life Report. “Butcher of Manhattan Flees to Austria.” ALL About Issues, April 1988, page 14; New York Newsday, November 22, 1991; and New York Appellate Court 199 A.D.2d 577.

Credit: Abortionviolence.com

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Abortionist Herbert Schwarz, who has admitted to performing more than 45,000 abortions during his career, botched a third-trimester abortion on a woman who hemorrhaged and underwent surgery to deliver a stillborn seven-month-old preborn child.

According to the New York Times:

“He performed the procedure in his office, allegedly without adequate resuscitative equipment or support personnel on hand. After injecting the patient’s abdomen with medication designed to induce abortion, the doctor sent her home, even though she was bleeding. The abortion failed to occur, and the next day the patient was admitted to a hospital emergency room, hemorrhaging, feverish and in shock. She required emergency surgery….

Health Department physicians who then investigated Dr. Schwarz found him using risky procedures that posed a danger to other patients. In one case, although he knew that a patient suffered from asthma, he gave her a general anesthetic without having adequate resuscitative equipment on hand, placing her in serious jeopardy.”

New York State Health Commissioner Barbara Debuono, after an investigation, said that Dr. Schwarz’s practice “represented a threat to the public health.” Schwarz is also accused of botching ten other abortions not related to this case.

Due to these complications, Schwartz’s licence was suspended.

In an interview, Schwarz said:

“I’m a pawn sacrificed because all of America is convulsing over this problem. It’s tearing America apart. And someone gains notoriety and makes points if he puts the anti-Christ out of business….”

Attorney Max Ander won $60,000 from Schwarz for a client who suffered complications in 1987, and said that “His complete indifference, his callousness. I wish I had a Roget’s thesaurus. Anything I tell is simply bland compared to what he is.”

Reference: “Doctor Says Mistakes Do Not a Career Make.” New York Times, September 5, 1995. “Half Safe is Not Good Enough” New York Times Aug 26, 1995

Credit also given to Abortionviolence.com

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