A West Palm teen accused of pretending to be a doctor has pleaded guilty to two criminal charges in Virginia.
Malachi Love-Robinson, 19, pleaded guilty Monday to charges of making false statements to obtain credit and passing a forged document, according to court records. He initially pleaded not guilty after a grand jury indicted him in January on charges related to his Sept. 9 arrest in Stafford, Va., just south of Washington, D.C.
>> Read more trending news
Virginia authorities alleged that Love-Robinson provided fraudulent information while trying to purchase a car. He reportedly claimed that an elderly woman accompanying him was a relative who was there to co-sign for him. However, the woman told authorities she knew nothing about being a co-signer.
Mike Hickman, the general manager of Kargar Motors in Stafford, recalled how Love-Robinson presented detailed documentation from a purported new landscaping company.
"This guy, he's smart," Hickman told the Palm Beach Post in January. "He's a good con artist. He could have been a good actor."
Love-Robinson still faces criminal proceedings in Palm Beach County on several charges. His sentencing in Virginia is scheduled for May 22. At that time, a determination will be made on when to extradite him back to Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office spokesman Mike Edmondson said.
Local authorities allege Love-Robinson illegally practiced medicine in an office at the West Palm Medical Plaza, near JFK Medical Center North. He was arrested in February 2016 after he allegedly gave medical advice and a physical exam to an undercover officer.
Authorities say that Love-Robinson also defrauded an elderly woman of nearly $35,000 after examining her for stomach pain. In addition, he stands accused of stealing nearly $43,000 from the business account of a Boynton Beach addiction treatment center.
Love-Robinson was briefly employed at the program director at New Directions. He left after opening his own practice — the New Birth New Life Holistic and Alternative Medical Center — in West Palm Beach.
The local cases gained national attention with Love-Robinson making appearances on the “Today” show and Good Morning America. Love-Robinson defended his actions saying he had only practiced alternative medicine and had the proper certifications to do.
He turned down a plea deal last April that called for three years in prison and five years probation.
Under the terms of his pre-trial release in Palm Beach County, Love-Robinson was not allowed to leave the state without notifying authorities. Prosecutors reported in a bond hearing that he failed to do so.
Circuit Judge Krista Marx revoked a $26,000 bond and issued a warrant for his return to the Palm Beach County Jail.
The Virginia charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, the Fredericksburg (Va.) Free Lance Star reported.
About the Author
