The Monroe Pain Center, which was raided by federal agents last week, is allowed to remain open, officials said, because the target of the investigation is Dr. Oscar Linares ? not clinic.
The Monroe Pain Center, which was raided by federal agents last week, is allowed to remain open, officials said, because the target of the investigation is Dr. Oscar Linares — not clinic.
On Wednesday, people could be seen entering the building at the LaPlaisance Rd. strip mall, but the number of patients was dramatically diminished. The windows and doors remain covered with white blinds and the clinic's name has been removed from the building front.
Richard Isaacson, a spokesman with the Drug Enforcement Agency, said Dr. Linares was targeted in the raid last week, not the clinic.
"We did not shut them down," Mr. Isaacson said. "We never closed them down."
Mr. Isaacson would not comment on whether the clinic is under investigation at this time. Dr. Linares, under terms of his bond conditions, is not allowed to prescribe narcotics. He told The Evening News last week that he plans to pursue treatments involving natural herbs and spices, as well as acupuncture.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and the Drug Enforcement Agency say that Dr. Linares wrote prescriptions for more than 5 million doses of narcotics during a two-year period and reportedly fraudulently billing Medicare for more than $5.7 million.
In addition to closing down the clinic, authorities seized four bank accounts, seven luxury vehicles and two boats.