Arizona woman arrested for alleged whole-body imaging scam using veterinary products to treat cancer
A third individual has been charged in an alleged whole-body imaging scam that involved giving patients veterinary products to treat cancer.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in January announced the unsealing of the indictment against Mary and Floyd “Fred” Blakley, the two purported ringleaders of the scheme. Authorities have now charged accomplice Janmarie Lanzo, a business associate who allegedly worked at the clinics and sold products recommended by “Dr. Mary” following the exams.
Lanzo was arrested earlier this month and has since been released on bail and with certain conditions. She faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison if convicted, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. The Blakleys, meanwhile, remain incarcerated in a Philadelphia federal detention center, with their trial slated to begin Jan. 20. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of 165 years.
“The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said in a June 17 announcement.
Authorities claim that, as far back as 2011, the 75-year-old, her husband and associates have charged patients approximately $300 for “whole body scans” using an ultrasound machine. The Blakleys allegedly told customers that—through the deployment of “smart chip” technology invented by Dr. Mary—these exams could diagnose a wide variety of diseases. Among them were leukemia and other blood cancers, along with candida fungus growth in the bowel, authorities said. Mary and Fred Blakley also purportedly claimed the scanners could perform procedures such as colonoscopies, prostate exams and electrocardiograms.
Based on their ultrasounds, the two “falsely and fraudulently” prescribed to their human clients various supplements, creams and veterinary products as treatments for conditions purportedly discovered. Other patients were told Mary Blakley’s technology could “drive” a substance into the body to kill cancer, “clean” the lungs and brainstem, and remove kidney stones, Radiology Business reported in January.
Authorities disclosed further details about the alleged scam in Tuesday’s announcement. They charge that the couple promoted and sold Aetheion, a cosmetic cream, to treat cancer, gastric hernias and various other conditions. They also allegedly promoted and sold fenbendazole, a veterinary antiparasitic, to treat cancer in humans.
According to the indictment, the trio allegedly concealed their scheme by:
- Falsely stating they were performing research when they were, in fact, selling services and products.
- Claiming the products and services delivered were subject to “less onerous or nonexistent” regulatory requirements.
- Using “coded language” and coaching accomplices to “take deceptive measures.”
- Disguising the nature of their clinics as religious institutions, health clubs or private membership organizations.
- Requiring clients to sign confidentiality agreements.
Fred and Mary Blakley, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, are charged with mail and wire fraud, along with conspiracy to violate the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and defraud the FDA. Lanzo, who hails from the same Mohave County community, also faces the latter two charges.
Authorities said earlier this year that the scheme continued up through December, with recent clinic locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah. Centers went by names such as Sonic Waves Research, Living Well Warriors, The Blakley Foundation, Health Screenings 4 Life, and the London Bridge Wellness Center, among others. Dr. Mary, meanwhile, used various aliases.
Federal authorities are still seeking patients treated by these clinics to testify at trial, with information on how to contact them here.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.