Chapter 4 - The Corrupt Physician
The deeper we dug into the paper trail, the more obvious it became that Julian and Chloe could not have executed this scheme alone.
To legally enforce a power of attorney and liquidate large trust accounts, banks required certified medical declarations proving mental incapacity.
On Wednesday afternoon, I met Detective Sarah Jenkins at the State Medical Board headquarters in downtown Denver.
Spread out across the conference table were my mother’s official medical files, signed by a private concierge physician named Dr. Arthur Sterling.
“Dr. Sterling operates an exclusive, cash-only medical clinic in the suburban highlands,” Detective Jenkins explained.
“He caters to high-net-worth individuals who want discrete, off-the-books medical services.”
I examined Dr. Sterling’s signed affidavits.
Every three months for the past year, Dr. Sterling had issued certified declarations claiming my mother suffered from “progressive, irreversible vascular dementia and acute paranoid psychosis.”
Yet, there were zero records of brain scans, neurological evaluations, or cognitive assessments attached to her file.
“Look at the dates on these declarations, Detective,” I pointed out, tapping my finger on the paper.
“Each declaration was signed precisely forty-eight hours before a major wire transfer occurred from my mother’s trust account.”
“We ran a secondary financial subpoena on Dr. Sterling’s clinic accounts this morning,” Detective Jenkins revealed, sliding a fresh folder toward me.
“Over the past year, Dr. Sterling received $120,000 in ‘consulting fees’ from Chloe Vance’s shell company.”
A cold chuckle escaped my lips.
“A dirty doctor paid off to write fake medical reports so they could lock my mother in her own home and steal her fortune.”
At four o'clock that afternoon, Detective Jenkins and I executed a search warrant on Dr. Sterling’s private clinic.
When police officers surrounded his lavish mahogany office, Dr. Sterling sat behind his desk, wearing a tailored suit, looking utterly bewildered.
“What is the meaning of this intrusion?” Dr. Sterling demanded, standing up. “I am a respected medical professional!”
“Dr. Arthur Sterling,” Detective Jenkins announced, stepping forward with heavy iron cuffs.
“You are under arrest for Falsification of Medical Records, Conspiracy to Commit Elder Abuse, Illegal Distribution of Controlled Substances, and Receiving Bribes.”
Dr. Sterling’s face turned ghastly white. He looked at me, recognizing my name from the Assistant Attorney General badge clipped to my jacket.
“Wait!” Dr. Sterling stammered, his hands shaking violently as the officer forced his arms behind his back.
“I was just providing medical opinions! Chloe Vance brought me the symptoms! She told me the patient was violent!”
“You prescribed heavy liquid sedatives without a single blood test, Doctor,” I said, stepping right up to his desk.
“And those 'opinions' cost my mother her health, her freedom, and nearly two million dollars.”
“I’ll talk!” Dr. Sterling wept, dropping to his knees as the cuffs clicked around his wrists.
“I’ll give you everything! I have audio recordings of Chloe asking me for stronger drugs to keep her quiet!”
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I looked down at the weeping physician with pure, uncompromising disgust.
“Save your breath for the District Attorney, Doctor,” I said. “You’re going to need every second of it.”
