What? That’s not you? Second from the left? http://www.mydralanbittnerstory.com/pages/website%20claims.html

And, of course, you were not aware that other “team” members were unlicensed? You came to work every day and never wondered why those people did not display certificates or licenses? Well, you callously even lied to me about the nature of your crime, a fact that was on public record….

rodney’s letter to me:

<”Hi

You and I have never met but I was recently made aware of your website dedicated to publicizing your experience at Doctor Bittner’s office. I would like to start by saying that I am sorry that you were so unhappy with your results. I am an employee in Doctor Bittner’s office and I must say that the vast majority of our patients are pleased with their results.

My name is Rodney Davis and I work as a Physician Assistant. Unfortunately for me, the information that you have posted on the internet about my past is completely incorrect and is hurting my family and my reputation. I am not a convicted felon and my license was never suspended. I have a probationary license due to a fairly common application error. This all stems from a “disorderly persons” offense that occurred when I was 18 years old. I am now 33 years of age and have never had any legal or professional acts of misconduct since the age of 18. According to the Medical Board of California I should have mentioned the above incident on my application even though the question specifically asked about any prior misdemeanors or felony convictions. Rather than wait for up to year to clear up the accusation I agreed to a probationary license. My wife and I had already moved here from N.Y. before I learned of the application problem, otherwise I would have challenged the Medical Board’s decision.”>

Seriously? a common mistake_ from the application:  ”Have you ever been convicted or pled nolo contendere to any violation (including misdemeanor or felony) of any local, state, or federal law in any state, territory, country, or U.S. jurisdiction?….you are required to include a conviction that has been set aside and dismissed or expunged.”  Can it be any clearer?

First, we DID meet. He was in the room before my surgery and was part of the prep.

The CA medical board has records of causes and action’s that can be accessed online. Sadly, much of the info on each “professional’s” listing is self-reported and rarely validated by the board. Also, complaints and charges are never listed, only convictions. Settle with those who sue you and no one ever knows, no matter how heinous the crime.

Here is what one patient says:

I actually had a surgery scheduled with Pacific Lipo a couple of months ago. I put a deposit down with Stephanie (I did not get her last name) and she booked my appointment right away. I am wondering if this is the same Stephanie that worked for Bittner.
The day before my appointment with PA Rod Davis flat out denied any wrong doings or working under Dr. Bittner.
It was very suspicious to me why a PA would conduct invasive surgeries with our an actual doctor there. This office needs to be shut down before someone gets hurt.

Comment by truth530 — July 6, 2011 @ 5:52 pm | Edit This | Reply

http://drbittnerpatient.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/news/

Before you read further: It is important that everyone who DID NOT FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE MEDICAL BOARD…TO FILE ONE NOW!!!!!!!! PLEASE! Also, those of you who might get a refund from Care Credit because of this information, please consider reserving 10% of your refund for a future fund to help others. I don’t have one set up, but am hoping that we will be able to start one later. If you are successful and want to pay it forward, please contact me when you get a refund. I’ll research and set up the proper fund to ensure everyone that this is all above board.

So here is the info that I received from a very lovely lady:
“Hello B-Victims I want to share with all of you my contact infromation. I have filed a report with the Medical Board & CAState Dept. of Consumer Affairs. I will start sharing ALL the information I have regarding Bittner! I successfully was cleared from all of the medical charges by Bittner with CareCredit. I’ll also post information to help Bittner victims to be cleared of their medical bills with CareCredit.

DCA – State of CA Dept of Consumer Affairs c/o Jane Kreidler/Correspondence Unit 1625 N. Market Blvd. Suite #N-112, Sacramento CA 95834(916) 574-8643 My File NO. #MB2008496

Medical Board of CA Central Complaint Unit c/o Sharlene Smith My File Case No. 062008196285 (916) 263-2522″

CareCredit – Fraud Investigation Unit contact: Richard Glick (937) 534-6937 Address: PO Box 981127 El Paso TX 79998-1127 Let him know that ACCOUNT ending in #5276 has been cleared of Bittner Fees that you are also another Bittner Victim.

A note to all victims who used “Care Credit.” I was reported that some victims who used Care Credit to finance their surgery were able to recover some loss directly from Care Credit. If you used it you should investigate that possibility.

Everyone who attended today will tell you that if you don’t speak up and try to fight back, you never have a chance to win. Keep fighting!

The illustrious dr. craig alan bittner pled guilty to a felony on Monday. He has an opportunity to knock that to a misdemeanor in 2 years. He also loses his license for 5 years and must pay restitution to his victims in the amount of their original surgeries. The nasty stephanie darcy pled guilty to a felony and also has the 2 year option. The equally creepy jonathan martin pled to a felony and has the opportunity to have it dismissed in one year.

WHAT’S RIGHT: Unlike his fraud case for his previous company, this time he was punished. (The last time he was charged, he shut down the company rather than face the music.) Things seem to be going downhill as tIme goes on. While his license is surrendered, no other state will grant him a license as CA notifies them all and there is a general agreement between states on such an issue. In order to get his license back, the CA Medical Board will investigate the facts surrounding the case. In such cases, the Board rarely grants a new license.  Please keep in touch and I’ll let everyone know when he can apply again. At that time, letters sent to the Board will have a great impact on their decision. In 2 years letters to the court may also help to keep them from granting a reduction of the count of felony to misdemeanor. Please join the FB group  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002218341620 , you can create an alternate profile to protect your identity and will be notified when letters are needed and if any further legal action can be taken.

That victims will receive some monies is a start, but is not enough.

WHAT’S WRONG: For starters, the fact that a plea bargain was struck is wrong. Equally wrong is any opportunity for a reduction or dismissal of any of the felonies. Why CA would even consider letting a person who performed multiple felony surgeries on uninformed patients without licensing the opportunity to dismiss that felony is beyond me.

Equally wrong is the conditions of restitution. Refund of the original surgery fees is insulting. I have already paid almost TWICE the original fee for corrections and have at least another $10K more to go. That comes out to THREE TIMES the original cost. Ms. Chen, we should be made WHOLE!

craig alan bittner is still able to be a partner in other clinics and hold up to 49% of the interest. He is NOT allowed to see, manage or otherwise be involved with patients, their files or their care. Anyone who finds that he has an interest in any new medical ventures at all or that he is violating the patient care restrictions is welcome to forward the information to me or the Medical Board. The Board will be following any reports about his activities.

Stephanie Darcy and Rodney Davis are reported to be working at PacificLipo. Why anyone would hire them is beyond me. That makes me suspect..(“suspect”, note the qualifier)…that perhaps (again a qualifier)  the clinic is owned either partly by bittner or by a cronie of his. My guess is that my suspicions are a bit more than possibly valid.

WHAT’S NEXT: I am also investigating the possibility of a class action suit for actual damages. Please join the FB group and subscribe to this blog so you can be included in any further legal action and to help keep his license revoked.  If you change email addresses, please update them in both  places. It will be very important for your voices to be heard when the courts and Medical Board are considering changes to the counts and licensing. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002218341620

DOCUMENTRAY: There is a documentary being made by a BH Plastic Surgeon. It will address the issue of doctors like bittner, him in particular, how to avoid them and possibly how the legal system does not punish them enough. The producer has agreed to blur or darken faces at your request. If you would like to be part of the group to be interviewed, let me know. They have accepted my request to put a group together and have a mass interview and for me to have final edit on our section to keep everyone safe.  Many of us around a table will help to emphasize the number of victims and will personalize the interview greatly. The Board will get access to the documentary and I have it on good authority that it will be VERY helpful to keep his license from being recovered.

bittner can reapply for his license and I know we all hope that he is denied reinstatement. Everyone should write to the Medical Board and ask that reinstatement be denied when that happens. I am personally appalled by the small slap on the hand that has been levied to someone who has such a history of questionable behavior.

So to recap: The state of California feels that all of you who were operated on by unlicensed people, who were drugged after being promised that you would not, who were sold services after you had been medicated and have been suffering from the damage done to your bodies…have only been “harmed’  by a “misdemeanor”.

Write letters to the DA and medical board, spread the news and help to keep the public informed that these people can easily be back in business in a couple years. I am once again ashamed to be native Californian. Hopefully, my trip to the East next week will result in purchase of property in a state that does not let criminals like this off with such a light punishment!

I am investigating whether or not we can sue for damages at this juncture. If you would like to be included in a possible law suit, please contact me.

UPDATE – 3/29/2011: I have received notes saying that the court case is beginning today. Three victims have told me that they will be testifying and I’m confident that there are more. Because my story was public, it is doubtful that I will be called, so we are all counting on those of you who are brave enough to join forces and see justice done.

If you have not filed a complaint, please go to http://www.mydralanbittnerstory.com/pages/news.html and scroll to the “medical board” links to connect with the complaint process. It is fast and easy to do. The number of complaints will have an affect on the case, especially those that are currently coming in. I have been told that bittner’s pockets are deep and his attorney will no doubt pull out all the tricks in the book to defend him. It’s up to those of you who have been hurt to stand up and create a stronger front. If you know anyone else who was harmed, please pass this information on.

If you are a witness, remember to be strong, careful and honest in your testimony. The real facts alone will win out and the defense will be trying to pick apart or disprove anything you say. Honesty is always the best policy. You have all been hurt, but you also need to be strong enough to dispel the defense’s accusations that your emotional state might make you an unreliable witness.

The ADA handling the case is Belle Chen.  If you were harmed or feel the need to contact her with your story or your concerns, her email is: bchen@lacounty.gov phone: 213-580-8769. If you decide to phone, I believe  it is a good idea to back it up with an email.

As always, feel free to post the url to this blog and to the website on your Facebook pages, websites and other internet places so that the information reaches as many possible victims.

Arrests/Licenses: According to a reliable source, all of the BHL unlicensed staff has been arrested. Warrants were issued. Some members gave themselves up and some were served. One member of the team was served in a hospital room where he was recuperating from a motorcycle accident. Too bad it was his own fault rather than a dose of his own “medicine” that landed him there. It appears that most or all of the staff is planning to testify against  bittner. Again: this is news that was told to me. I have no actual verification, but considering the source it is a good possibility.

There are some who have claimed that all of the staff have lost the few licences that were actually valid. While many of us hope this might come to pass, no one can say for sure until the PAC says so. Currently, Rodney Davis’ license is current and renewable, but still probationary. Trevor Schmidt’s license has been delinquent since 2/28/10  http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/WLLQRYNA$LCEV2.QueryView?P_LICENSE_NUMBER=16539&P_LTE_ID=884 If anyone has been seen by Mr. Schmidt in a medical capacity at any facility since then, please notify the board. These statements are based on public record documents kept on the Medical Board’s website. No intent to falsify information has been made.

bittner:  There is proof that he, and possibly stephanie darcy, were out of the country for a time.  A  source  hired by them for a building project in Brazil puts them in an Asian country and in Brazil.  Their appearance in any other country has not been verified by any reliable sources or those directly involved in the legal proceedings. Lately, the person who was “sighting” them all over the world the loudest is now claiming that they were never out of the country. Brazil had been verified, and I feel confident about the Asian country, given the source.

It has been speculated that he may have spent some time in AZ since he fled CA. It has been confirmed that he has filed for personal bankruptcy in Pennsylvania on 8/08/2009. Ahhhhh, too bad. Just be aware that filing for bankruptcy does not mean you don’t have money…somewhere. It is very possible he is currently hiding in PA.

A new business: bittner and darcy are reported to have now opened a new sca…er… business, using darcy’s name. It is reported to be a mall imaging company, similar to the ones that he closed when the state sued him for fraud the last time. If you have any proof please send it to me.

This time he nis rumored to be  preying on expenctant mothers. I am sure that all of you  have seen the get-your-unborn-baby’s-first-picture scams in many malls. I am sure that he will spin this as an “affordable” scan for medical purposes for those without insurance;  but basically people get them for the cutsie “photos” sold by manipulating the emotions of expectant parents. Any mother on Medi-Cal is able to get scans, perhaps they do not get the cute photo collage, but there are low cost clinics that exist for medically needed procedures. Again, I have no proof of this, but it could be true.

Other news: According to a public records search, bittner was involved in an auto accident in 1986, 2 months after his 21st birthday in Florida. While he was not the driver of either vehicle, both drivers were found at-fault. Alcohol was involved and one driver was left permenantly incapacitated. This must have inspired  his “philanthropic career” to rid the world of unsightly, destructive  fat.

At 43, bittner has 25 addresses in his residential history, in the US, anyway. I think we can safely say that they were not due to military service. Of the 25, 16 of them are within the last 10 years, since his 33rd birthday. Who moves around that much?

There are also 4 judgements and liens on his record. Two have a judgment of almost 2 million dollars, and the other 2 have undisclosed amounts. The most recent, over $1,700,000 is only 6 years old! Three appear to be over medical supplies and equipment. One appears to involve real-estate, while he tried to be a realtor after Ameriscan fell apart.

Sadly, we have no idea how many  times he has been sued. When you plea-out, settle or just shut down the business to avoid prosectution, that information disappears.

Rodney Davis and AdvanceLipo:

To add to the quagmire of…less than stellar claims by AdvanceLipo……. it seems that Rodney Davis might be working for them! I received an email from a patient that had scheduled surgery with them (and cancelled it)  and wrote to tell me that the person who did her interview was Rodney Davis. Back off counselor, no libel here, check those modifiers!

I also received a letter claiming that Davis, Martin and others’ PA licenses will not be renewed and all have been arrested. The arrests were verified by a stellar source several months ago, I meant to publish earlier, but did not find the time. The license issue may very well be true, but I have yet to verify it. Note that the information was sent to me and is not a fact. The message, watch and check.

I exercise every day and recently found this method while researching exercises for the face as an addition to my workout. I originally  had the lipo to attack some stubborn areas that waere keeping me from moving well and getting a good workout. Remember that I have also had numerous corrective surgeries since bittner’s disaster and corrected a large amount of the damage that way. Sadly, even after corrective surgeries, there are still some ugly areas. Don’t get me wrong, they are minor compared to how bittner left them, but still the gouging and scarring are deep and they would have required very complicated and delicate surgery to repair…if they could be repaired.

In my search for a total workout for an old lady like myself, I found myself researching (among other programs) ”Facercise” by Carole Maggio. I noticed that she had a procedure and DVD called “No Lipo Lipo.” I was curious. I ordered the DVD and queried Carole about NLL’s use on victims of botched lipo. She kind and helpful. She offered to see me to evaluate the situation. I have not had time to go, but did start using the method at home. Carole has a Spa in Redondo Beach, California and these treatments are offered there. She created the DVD so women who could not access the spa could use the method at home (the spa treatments are very reasonable priced, so if you live close, consider getting the whole spa experience!)

So,  a few caveats:

• This is essentially a method of massage with a simple, but unique, design and approach. I would gladly share the method with everyone, but I respect Carole, her work and her kind support. The DVD is $39. That is a small price to pay for the knowledge that she worked hard to formulate. I would ask  those of you that try it, please don’t reveal the method to others, Carole deserves benefit from the sale of  her DVD’s. I believe she has provided a simple tool that can help people who don’t want to have lipo and those of us who had disasterous surgeries. Please respect her work and give her the credit she deserves.
• The method is so simple that my first impression was “yeah..uh huh…that’ll work….not.” After I thought about it for a while, I began to see that from a purely mechanical persepctive that perhaps there was some validity to the method, especially for the lumpy remains of bittner-cide. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity, I have gotten some great results! This method is effective to decrease lumps and smooth over poochy areas.
• The video does not put you through the process as intensely as the spa treatments. In the spa, Carole tells me that they do 120 strokes per area. I think this is neccessary to get good results are bad areas. That said, doing it yourself is not going to be as effective and having someone else do it unless you just have one or two areas that are  easy to reach. If you can’t go to the spa, enlist the help of your significant other or a very good friend.
• Concentrate on your worst areas. There is nothing wrong with simply applying the method to your own particular tough spots instead of or in addtion to the whole program.
• I do feel a little discomfort and some tiny pains at times in some areas during the treatments. This is probably from a variety of issues:
  •  I have fibromyalgia…my socks hurt my ankles! Fibro patients have widespread body pain and tender areas that hurt without any cause and points that are expecially tender. The insides of my legs are particulalry tender.
  • In some areas I think that the scarring from da bit-ler makes the areas more tender.
  • Lastly, my husband is very strong and enthusiastic. He gives the best ultra deep massage! I often have to ask him to back off a bit!

$39 is a small price to pay for the results I have gotten in just 6 treatments ( 2 times a week). The weird little pooch/pucker around my naval has decreased about 50%. The three bumps on my right hip about 30%. My stomach is not as dimpled as it used to be, perhaps 20% less. I often use my Footlog before the NLL, but stopped after Carole told me that the spa does 120 strokes. I believe that this process “unclumps” the fat cells somewhat and smooths the connection to the skin. That is just a layman’s persepctive, but it describes the results I have gotten.

If you have bumps and lumps, you owe it to yourself to at least buy the DVD and try it. If you live near the Spa, try the spa package! Remember that you need to do about 120 strokes and it is more effective if someone does it for you. Don’t be afraid to deviate from the video’s basic body map in order to address those areas that you need to affect.

I am thrilled with the results and even if there is no further improvement, it was well worth the purchase. Please try it and let me know how it works for you!

Recently I was contacted by AdvanceLipo. There is a small note about similarities between their website and BHL on my site. I was made aware of the similarities from a post made by a reader comment on this blog. I noted the similarities, but also stated that it did not prove association.

Visit my site  for excerpts from letters and my findings on the issue….I make mistakes, everyone does, but not this time. Don’t lie to me about something I can prove just by going to your site! Now I feel compelled to address the situation further! I post facts that  I can support. If I can’t support the information, I make the best effort possible to use verbage that correctly describes the information.