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Florida teen arrested after posing as doctor, opening medical practice

Posted at 10:09 PM, Feb 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-16 22:10:02-05

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Florida teen was arrested on suspicion of practicing medicine without a license after he allegedly performed a physical exam on an undercover agent on Tuesday.

Malachi Love-Robinson is shown in a booking photo released by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Feb. 16, 2016.

Malachi Love-Robinson is shown in a booking photo released by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Feb. 16, 2016.

Malachi Love-Robinson, 18, was taken into custody after the undercover operation, during which he gave medical advice, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Authorities had received a complaint earlier in the month about Love-Robinson, who had been cited by the state health department for practicing medicine without a license in October 2015.

Love-Robinson opened a medical office in West Palm Beach and was presenting himself as a doctor, the Sheriff’s Office said.

A Facebook page for Dr. Malachi A. Love listed a medical office at the same address — 4700 N. Congress Ave. — as the one given by the Sheriff’s Office, calling the business “New Birth New Life Holistic and Alternative Medical Center & Urgent Care.” A website and Facebook page were also set up for the center.

"Dr. Malachi A. Love" is shown in a photo posted to his Facebook page on Jan. 12, 2016.

“Dr. Malachi A. Love” is shown in a photo posted to his Facebook page on Jan. 12, 2016.

Photos on the center’s Facebook page showed “Dr. Love” posing with two older women described as the center’s “staff.” And on the website Healthgrades.com, a first-person description of Dr. Love-Robinson read:

“I am a well rounded proffessional that treats, and cares for patients, using a system of practice that bases treatment of physiological functions and abnormal conditions on natural laws governing the human body. I utilize physiological, psychological, and mechanical methods, such as air, water, light, heat, earth, phototherapy, food and herb therapy, psychotherapy, electrotherapy, physiotherapy, minor and orificial surgery, mechanotherapy, naturopathic corrections and manipulation, and natural methods or modalities, together with natural medicines, natural processed foods, and herbs and nature’s remedies.”

Love-Robinson was booked on suspicion of practicing medicine without a license, and the Florida Department of Health served him notice to cease and desist along with several other citations.

In January, West Palm Beach police stopped a juvenile for posing as a doctor in a lab coat at an area hospital, the Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. No charges were filed.

It’s not clear if the two incidents are linked.