Patient Suspects 'Doctor' Was Scam Artist

A man who reads a Bulgarian newspaper spotted an advertisement in the publication for a doctor with offices in the 8900 block of Golf Road in Niles and made an appointment with the alleged physician on April 23 at 6:30 p.m., according to police.

When he arrived, the clinic was closed but the alleged doctor, who was wearing a white lab coat, answered after he knocked. The doctor took the man to an examination room and performed a checkup, which included sticking something similar to toothpicks in his chest, which may have been a form of acupuncture. 

The alleged doctor then gave the patient a bottle of pills labeled "Prosperous Farmer Dietary Supplements" and instructed him to take one a day. Then the alleged doctor asked for $150 in cash, which the man paid. 

After the patient returned home, his 22-year-old son looked over the pills and found they had expired in 2002. The victim and son met police at the alleged doctor's office on April 30 and told the officer that many aspects of the doctor visit seemed wrong, including the fact the father did not have to fill out any paperwork, the clinic sign showed the office was only open until 4 p.m. on Saturdays and there were no other employees or patients present at the time of the visit.

The patient called the office on April 26 and asked for the alleged doctor. An employee who answered the phone said she had no idea who he was. The victim gave police the pills and the newspaper advertisements. The victim requested a follow-up investigation.

88-year-old man found dead

The 32-year-old male caregiver of Ernest Ceisel, 88, of the 7300 block of School Street in Niles, called to report he found Ceisel deceased in a bedroom chair. Ceisel had a history of heart problems, and the Niles Fire Department had responded to an earlier call. A doctor pronounced Ceisel dead and the medical examiner's office released the body to a funeral home.