SAN DIEGO — A “rock star” doctor who examined tens of 1000’s of other folks for COVID-19 within the pandemic’s early months in a badly-stricken California barren region group has pleaded guilty to misbranding cosmetic drugs, government mentioned Thursday.
Dr. Tien Tan Vo stated in a plea settlement that not one of the injectable botlinium toxin, or lip fillers, utilized by his Imperial Valley clinics from November 2016 to October 2020 had been licensed by way of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, federal prosecutors mentioned.
Vo, who endeared himself to sufferers for his boundless power to include the virus’ unfold, admitted buying lots of the cosmetic drugs from the operator of a “med spa” in Mexicali, Mexico, who smuggled them into the United States with out pointing out them.
Vo mentioned he gained $100,767 for products and services carried out with unapproved drugs and units.
As a part of his plea settlement, the 47-year-old doctor agreed to go back the bills and pay a fantastic of $201,534. He additionally agreed to pay restitution to sufferers.
No one responded the telephone at Vo’s places of work Thursday evening.
Motorists coated up for hours at Vo’s clinics in 2020 to get examined for COVID-19 in California’s often-forgotten Imperial County. At one level, the farming area alongside the Mexican border had the state’s best possible an infection price and its two hospitals had been beaten. The county is in large part Latino and occasional source of revenue,
Alex Cardenas, a former mayor of El Centro, referred to as Vo “a rock star” on the time. The doctor’s two clinics did greater than 27,000 assessments right through the pandemic’s first 5 months, with a good price between 25% and 30%.
Vo, who emigrated from Vietnam as a youngster, usally delivered foods and checked on sufferers at house right through the pandemic.
“They really need a doctor here,” he mentioned in 2020. “They’re not very hard to please. They chat with me. They text me every day.”
Vo is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 16 for receipt of misbranded drugs and being an adjunct to an associate who smuggled the unapproved drugs from Mexico. Each fee carries a most penalty of 1 12 months in jail.
“All members of our community should be able to trust that their doctor is acting in their best interest,” mentioned Andrew Haden, appearing U.S. legal professional for the Southern District of California. “Through this prosecution, we are protecting patients from unapproved and potentially unsafe drugs and will always seek to thwart those who would exploit patients for financial gain.”
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