Former doctor accused, again, of providing fake diagnoses

SARASOTA (FOX 13) - A former doctor is facing additional charges after Sarasota police found another victim, who received a fake diagnosis for cancer, they say. 

Ronald Wheeler was arrested in July 2017 after he continued bogus treatments, even after the state revoked his license, according to Sarasota detectives, and improperly diagnosed men with prostate cancer.

Doctor Ronald Wheeler promised prostate cancer patients a full recovery.

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"There was only one hope and that was Dr. Wheeler," said Mike Harrell.

But Sarasota police investigator Mike Harrell said Dr. Wheeler was going after patients' money.

"The first thing that caught my attention was he was diagnosed with prostate cancer by Dr. Wheeler via a phone call," said Harrell.

An investigation reveals many of the patients Wheeler diagnosed with cancer never had cancer at all.
They were, however, charged for expensive treatments in his Sarasota office.

That includes one patient from Kansas who wired Dr. Wheeler $46,500.

"The victim was literally scared to death for over a year," said Harrell.

Harrell said Dr. Wheeler never revealed to the Kansas patient that he was in danger of losing his medical license after several malpractice suits.

"This victim was unique in that he saved every text message, every email, every contact with Dr. Wheeler he saved," said Harrell.

Reports show in November of 2016 Dr. Wheeler told the patient the surgery would happen soon.

According to Sarasota police, Wheeler lost his license and stopped communicating with the patient five months later. That's when the patient reached out to Dr. Stephen Scionti for a second opinion and got the surprise of his life.

"Fortunately for him, cancer was not present. He was again, very, very relieved," said Dr.Scionti.

It's not the first time Dr. Scionti has delivered this type of news. He's seen many of Wheeler's former patients over the last 10 years, discovering they too were cancer free.

"Most of them would tend to get angry because they had to undergo the stress and the psychological trauma of believing they had a cancer diagnosis," said Dr. Scionti.

Police arrested Wheeler on Monday on a charge of scheming to defraud for giving patients a fake diagnosis and a costly cure they never needed.

"I think this is where Dr. Wheeler may have crossed this line," said Dr. Scionti.