The bogus doctor, 47, whose fake credentials allegedly lead to the death of two children and an older man was jailed following his deposition. He appeared before the magistrate on Monday on charges which include serial manslaughter, fraud, impersonation of a medical doctor and drug dealing.
Initially known to the public as Nicholaos Kontos, his real identity as Nikolaos Kontostathis has been published.
Police investigations show that the fake doctor had been active on the Greek medical scene at least since 2016. He had presented himself as an oncologists offering “advanced medications”. He moved freely around diagnostic centres where he appeared to be well known.
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“I did mislead, pretending I’m a doctor but I didn’t tell them to stop their therapies,” he said during his deposition according to a report by the Athens Macedonia News Agency. He classified himself as an “experiential botanologist” and denied responsibility for the three deaths.
He said he met the two children after they had completed their medical therapies and wanted to help them. He admitted, however, that he received payment from the families but said he did not receive funds from another 45 patients listed in his case file and he denied the distribution of drugs, stating that the cannabis he prescribed was lower than what the law states constitutes a crime.
The parents of the children who died stated their children had chances of surviving until he appeared in their lives.
The police have invited the public to give more information by calling 210-6476183, 210-6476187 and 210-6411111 (identity protected).
