An impostor doctor exposed in an undercover ABC15 investigation has pled guilty to felony charges and faces the potential of more than two decades in prison.
Craig Allen Scherf accepted the plea deal Wednesday morning in Maricopa County Superior Court.
FULL COVERAGE: IMPOSTOR DOCTOR
In the deal, Scherf admitted to the two most serious felony charges he was facing. Together, the charges carry a sentence range of 3 to 12.5 years in prison, officials said.
“It will be well-deserved,” said victim Mario Della Casa about the potential sentence. “(He should get) every moment of it.”
In January, ABC15 went undercover to expose Scherf illegally running a medical clinic, where he was performing procedures like skin injections and laser hair removal without a license.
After the report, the Attorney General’s Office investigated and charged Scherf with 29 criminal charges. In court, prosecutors said that the state was preparing more charges.
In the plea deal, it states that the prosecution will drop the remaining charges and not bring new charges against Scherf.
The documents show that prosecution had discovered Scherf had used another doctor’s identity to obtain medications and they discovered “misrepresentations regarding his licensure and ability to bill insurance for chiropractic services.”
Sentencing for Scherf is set for October 6.
Editor’s note: ABC15 is investigating other impostor medical professionals. If you have information about someone who has provided health or medical services without a license, contact ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing at dbiscobing@abc15.com.
*This story has been edited to correct the potential sentence the defendant will face.
