Loma Linda physician surrenders license

A former Loma Linda surgeon has surrendered his license for his role in a fraudulent Medi-Cal billing scheme.

Donald Lew Bedney surrendered his license Tuesday to the Medical Board of California. He was arrested and charged in March 2006 on suspicion of grand theft, presenting fraudulent Medi-Cal claims, defrauding Medi-Cal, unlawfully obtaining personal identification information and commiting perjury, according to information posted on the Medical Board of California's Web site.

In February 2007, the complaint against Bedney was amended to include an allegation of accessory to a felony.

Bedney pleaded no contest to the misdemanor accessory to a felony charge and was placed on probation for three years, ordered to serve one day in jail, and pay restitution. All other charges were dismissed.

Hedney's attorney, Richard A. Moss, said Friday his client was exploited by another doctor, Christopher Ajigbotafe, in the scheme. He said Bedney gave Ajigbotafe his Medi-Cal number, but was unaware it would be used for fraudulent billing purposes.

Moss said his client, who is in his 70s and a graduate of Stanford Medical School, is in ill health and agreed to surrender his license to avoid the stress of a hearing before the Medical Board.

"Rather than fighting it or, rather, attempting to get a grant of probation, Dr. Bedney decided he did not want to go through the rigors of a hearing," Moss said.

Ajigbotafe, who couldn't be reached for comment Friday, was initially charged in June 2007 with numerous felony offenses including grand theft, presenting fraudulent Medi-Cal claims, defrauding Medi-Cal, unlawfully obtaining personal identification information, unlawfully using personal identification, paying kickbacks, bribes and rebates, issuing an illegal prescription and failing to file income taxes.

Like Bedney, Ajigbotafe's list of offenses dwindled to one: failure to file his income taxes. He surrendered his license in July after pleading no contest to the charge.

Ajigbotafe was sentenced to 180 days in jail, placed on three years probation and ordered to pay restitution.

joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com