Merrillville doctor arrested in Italy

December 17, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- After five years on the run, a fugitive doctor from Merrillville, Ind., has been captured in Italy.

Italian police found Dr. Mark Weinberger living in a tent on Mount Blanc.

Mark Weinberger disappeared in 2004 while vacationing in Greece with his wife.

Weinberger is accused of falsely billing insurance companies for surgeries he never performed. He had a practice in Merrillville, Indiana and was arrested while camping on a mountain in northern Italy.

Dr. Weinberger was last seen in 2004 before he vanished while on vacation with his wife in Greece. She learned that he had purchased diamonds before leaving, withdrew a large sum of money from his business, and had taken survival gear that he kept in Indiana clinic.

"I think he was running from malpractice lawsuits&I think he always wanted to be perfect. And this was an insult to his striving for perfection," said Michelle Kramer, former wife.

Dr. Weinberger was known as the 'nose doctor,' named for his specialty in surgery. The otolaryngologist lived a lavish lifestyle with luxury homes in northwest Indiana and Chicago.police say his business took in more than $3 million a year. But authorities say he earned that money after he over charged patients and Medicare for unnecessary surgeries and services not rendered.

"The reality is Dr. Weinberger was a fraud," said Kenneth Allen, fraud victim's attorney.

Weinberger was the subject of a federal investigation. He was indicted by a grand jury after he was charged with 22 counts of health care fraud. He was the focus of hundreds of civil lawsuits that alleged malpractice.

In one case the scheme resulted in death. In September of 2004, Dr. Weinberger operated on Phyllis Barnes to remove nasal polyps when in fact she had advanced cancer. Five days later she died.

"We have all suffered because of his not being able to be held accountable or be brought to justice. It feels really good," said Phyllis Hood, Barnes' sister.

"We want him, Weinberger, to look these people in the eye and explain why he did this and why he ran," said Allen.

www.kenallenlaw.com

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• Steven
• Weinberger
• Kenneth J. Allen
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• Merrillville
• Indiana
• Valparaiso
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[1martuska]

He tried to commit suicide ? Well , he didn't try hard enough! He will try and escape because he is a con artist and he knows how TO PLAY THE CON GAME. He is a hard core criminal & a coward not a DOCTOR. IN AMERICA DOCTORS NO LONGER HAVE TO TAKE THE HIPOCRITICAL OATHE . The devil is working hard in this country and he's getting the job done! America! No morals & a corrupt and failed government AND judicial system. . It reminds me of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.