Update: Feds Say Eye Doc Used PAC $$$$ For Mistress
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The bust was bad enough for Dr. Alan Mendelsohn — 27 counts of mail fraud and five counts of lying to federal officers.
But after reading the indictment, Mendelsohn might need two lawyers. Maybe one for the federal charges and another to unwind his personal life.
Mendelsohn, one-time champion state GOP fund-raiser, was busted Wednesday for irregularities in handling political action committees, among other things. He was nabbed as part of a larger probe into floatsam left in the wake of the Mutual Benefits insurance Ponzi scheme.
The indictment charges the Hollywood ophthalmologist with diverting $60,000 from political action committees “to his mistress on a monthly basis and additional checks to be sent to his mistress through a corporation she created at Mendelsohn’s suggestion.
He is also charged with diverting another $240,000 from the PACs to pay for a home for his mistress and him.
The Miami Herald on Thursday name the “mistress” as Caybre Cothern Ferrari, 39, who the paper said “once worked as a scrub tech for Mendelsohn’s eye surgery clinic.”
The paper goes on to say “public records show Ferrari created Broward-based KAC Consulting Inc. in March 2004.
Also in March 2004, records show that Ferrari transferred the deed to a home in Hollywood to her maiden name, Cothern. Mendelsohn is listed as a witness on the deed, records show.”
Ferrari/Cothern could not be reached for comment by the Herald. The Herald story is here.
According to the feds, PAC money also went went to:
- $35,000 for tutoring to prepare his kids for the SAT college entrance exams.
- $15,000 in bonus money for an employee of his medical practice.
- $20,000 to pay his American Express bill.
- $25,000 to pay college tuition for his son and $10,000 to pay for primary school for another child.
He is also alleged to have encouraged a contributor to donate $250,000 in his name to a medical school “in honor of Mendelsohn so that they enroll his son.
Mendelsohn’s attorney has denied all the charges.
His defense lawyer, John Keker of San Francisco, was quoted in the Miami Herald: “The political tale told in these charges will be addressed in court, where we look forward to Dr. Mendelsohn’s vindication.”
September 30th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Who was the mistress? Sheila Alu?
October 1st, 2009 at 6:12 am
His little head took over from his big head. When will guys quit making decisions based on what is in their pants? Such decisions have proved disastrous time after time.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:27 am
What a dirtbag.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:47 am
$35,000 for SAT prep?? even for 4 kids… that’s pretty steep…
FROM BUDDY: I agree. I’m obviously in the wrong business.
October 1st, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I’m glad they nailed Medelsohn. He was the scumbag that maligned Ken Gottlieb and Tim Ryan so that he could get his puppet Eleanor Sobel elected to the Senate to protect physician interests.
He basically bankrolled Eleanor’s secret PAC campaign fund to smear her opponents. She said she didn’t know anything about that, but we know better. All that came out of that was lies, lies, lies and the least talented of the three got elected because of those lies. Nice job Broward. Your democratic senator was hand picked by a Republican scumbag physician.
And in addition to Sobel, Dr. Scum’s best friends include Steve Geller, another scum bucket.
October 1st, 2009 at 4:28 pm
This guy has always been reckless… and I bet he never takes the witness stand. He is his own worst enemy. Just deserts. Go Feds!
October 5th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Dr. Scumbag:
“I’m glad they nailed Medelsohn. He was the scumbag that maligned Ken Gottlieb and Tim Ryan so that he could get his puppet Eleanor Sobel elected to the Senate to protect physician interests.
He basically bankrolled Eleanor’s secret PAC campaign fund to smear her opponents. She said she didn’t know anything about that, but we know better. All that came out of that was lies, lies, lies and the least talented of the three got elected because of those lies. Nice job Broward. Your democratic senator was hand picked by a Republican scumbag physician.
And in addition to Sobel, Dr. Scum’s best friends include Steve Geller, another scum bucket.”
Touche’ !!!
Buddy, you have the most insightful and knowledgeable bloggers on your site.
This guy hit the proverbial nail right on the head!