What to Know
- A doctor who appeared on a hit Bravo network reality show was arrested on Long Island, accused of stealing the identities of the show’s cast members in a scheme to obtain prescription drugs, according to law enforcement officials.
- Dr. Francis Martinis, a urologist in Fort Salonga, and his wife, Jessica, who appeared on Bravo’s hit reality show franchise “Below Deck,” are accused of allegedly using other cast members’ personal information to writing fake prescriptions and obtaining oxycodone.
- Investigators said the scheme began developing earlier this year, when Jessica went to a pharmacy in Kings Park in an attempt to obtain a fake prescription for oxycodone in January. According to those officials, the handwritten prescription raised concerns, prompting a pharmacist to call police.
NEW YORK — A doctor who appeared on a hit Bravo reality show was arrested on Long Island, accused of stealing the identities of the show’s cast members in a scheme to obtain prescription drugs, according to law enforcement officials. law.
Dr. Francis Martinis, a urologist in Fort Salonga, and his wife, Jessica, who appeared on Bravo’s hit reality show franchise “Below Deck,” are accused of allegedly using other cast members’ personal information to writing fake prescriptions and obtaining oxycodone.
Investigators said the scheme began developing earlier this year, when Jessica went to a pharmacy in Kings Park in an attempt to obtain a fake prescription for oxycodone in January. According to those officials, the handwritten prescription raised concerns, prompting a pharmacist to call police.
A subsequent investigation revealed that the doctor had sent dozens of oxycodone prescriptions to pharmacies in Suffolk County over a two-year period, law enforcement officials said. Many of these recipes were allegedly fake, written under the names of two “Below Deck” cast members.
Investigators said Jessica picked up the prescriptions and paid cash as part of the alleged plot.
The duo was arrested in May and charged with eight counts of criminal sale of controlled substances and falsifying business records, law enforcement officials told NBC New York.
Investigators do not reveal whether they believe the couple used, resold the drugs, or both.
Former New York Homeland Security Director Michael Balboni explained that the allegations are serious, especially amid an ongoing national addiction and overdose crisis.
Balboni said: “He abused the celebrity position he had on that ship to take the identities of its crew members, if that’s proven, and then use that to buy drugs, that’s a common scheme for a common criminal.”
The couple were among guests who chartered Sirocco, a luxury yacht that set sail in the French Riviera in 2019 and part of their voyage was documented for “Below Deck Mediterranean.” The doctor was also a guest once again the following year, this time on “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” another spin-off of the reality show franchise. The series featured life on a 180-foot sailboat sailing the Ionian Sea.
Following their appearances in the franchise, the doctor duo and his wife attended promotional events with other members of the team.
The couple and their attorney did not respond to NBC New York’s requests for comment.
Bravo also did not respond to requests for comment.
The two are scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Balboni said: “Prosecutors will want to send a message to all other doctors: you have special access to these drugs, you know how they work and if you do this you will be prosecuted.”
Bravo is owned by NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC New York and Telemundo 47.
2023-12-14 00:07:06
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