UPDATE – 4/4/2011: BITTNER PLEADS TO FELONY. I just received an email from ADA Belle Chen. Once again, California has failed to properly punish another criminal. Ms Chen agreed to a plea bargain. bittner and darcy pled to felonies. bittner will lose his license for only 5 years and both will have a chance to knock it down to a misdemeanor in 2 years. Jonathan pled to a felony (this guy was performing surgery with absolutely NO MEDICAL LICENSE at all) and can earn a dismissal in a year. I was told that not enough victims were willing to testify, he counted on victims being too embarrassed to come forward.
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.
