A Chicago doctor has been detained after being accused of allowing an unlicensed medical student to examine patients and issue prescriptions while he was out of the country for months at a time. According to a press release from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Dr. Mohammed Khamis, 56, is accused of operating two illegal medical schemes over the past several years that jeopardized patients’ safety and violated state law.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office said that Khamis showed “an absolute reckless disregard for the health and safety for the patients who sought his medical care. Authorities allege that Khamis hired an unlicensed medical student from his former medical school in Bosnia to treat patients at his River Forest office while he was overseas for extended periods.
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Unlicensed Student Allegedly Examined Patients and Issued Prescriptions
According to CWBChicago, the unlicensed student examined patients, issued prescriptions, and handled other medical duties in Khamis’ absence.
The detention petition filed by the Attorney General’s Office revealed that the student never graduated from Khamis’ medical school and had no valid credentials or license to practice medicine in the United States. The alleged misconduct reportedly occurred while Khamis was traveling abroad for months at a time, leaving the student to run the practice unsupervised.
Authorities say the arrangement not only violated state medical laws but also endangered patient safety, as the unlicensed individual was performing medical procedures and issuing prescriptions without oversight.
Doctor Also Accused of Fraudulent Billing and Illegal Prescription Practices
In addition to the unlicensed treatment scheme, Khamis is accused of personally billing more than $100,000 in fraudulent office visits and participating in illegal prescription practices, according to prosecutors. Khamis conducted the alleged scheme from his office in River Forest and hired a student from his medical school in Bosnia while he was overseas for months on end
The investigation found that Khamis submitted false insurance claims for appointments that never occurred and prescribed medications improperly, raising additional concerns about controlled substance misuse.
Illinois Attorney General Files Detention Petition
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office filed a detention petition citing evidence that Khamis attempted to conceal his actions once he learned of the investigation.
Authorities claim that Khamis destroyed evidence, including patient records and digital files, and moved funds overseas to avoid financial penalties or asset seizure. Khamis’ medical license was officially suspended on October 31, preventing him from practicing medicine in Illinois.