‘YES I AM a Medical Doctor and physician’: Impostor faces criminal charges

An Edmonton woman claiming to be a physician who performs massage therapy, holistic therapies and “quasi-medical techniques” faced numerous charges that include fraud, attempted fraud and unauthorized use of the “Dr.” title. Rossemarie Castro Rosales—who has been posing as a medical doctor under the fictitious name “Dr. Marie Milne”—has been charged with fraud under $5,000 against and individual and Alberta Blue Cross. In addition, is charged with attempted fraud related to another insurance company, and allegedly tried to trick three medical associations into registering her as a member, according to an Edmonton Journal report. Neither her real nor her fictitious name appears in the public online database of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. Castro Rosales, 36, has also been charged with laundering proceeds of crime, obstructing a peace officer, prohibited cannabis sales and forgery-related offences. She is due to appear in court on Oct. 28. Read: No registration? Lawsuit says health authority should have sussed out fake nurse In addition to the charges, police have put out a call to members of the public who may have been “‘treated’ by (Castro Rosales) in circumstances that may constitute sexual assault," including touching of their genitalia. In an Oct. 4 statement, the Edmonton Police Service said Castro Rosales had been promoting various services online, on the radio and other media ads under the name of her made-up physician persona. For example, Instagram posts for a medispa business associated with Castro Rosales advertised that a lipo freeze procedure to get rid of unwanted fat would be “overseen by Doctor Milne.” On its website, the medispa promoted esthetic services, spa treatments, massage, body contouring, permanent makeup and “homeopathy physician consults.” Read: Fake Florida doctor sentenced to 9 years for dating scam A January 2021 post on a now-deleted Facebook page for the business insisted that Castro Rosales is indeed a physician—one who can bill insurance companies directly for her services. “YES I AM A Medical doctor and physician!” the post stated. “I am proud to say I am an MDHOM." Another post listed her academic achievements, which purportedly included a two-year university diploma and bachelor of arts degree, plus a massage therapy diploma and a “clinical medical science post-graduate degree in medicine.” Read: Former CEO of Halifax children's hospital sentenced to five months in jail for fraud

‘YES I AM a Medical Doctor and physician’: Impostor faces criminal charges

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