Dr. Francis Martinis, a urologist in Fort Salonga, New York, and his wife, Jessica, who both appeared in the Bravo reality show franchise Below Deck, are accused of stealing the identities of Below Deck cast members in a scheme to obtain prescription drugs, according to law enforcement officials.
In an interview with NBC News, Michael Balboni described the allegations as serious, especially amidst the ongoing addiction and overdose crisis in the United States.
Balboni stated: “If proven … (Dr. Martinis) abused the celebrity position that he had on that ship to take the identities of his crew members and then used that to buy drugs. That is a common scheme for a common criminal.”
Balboni added: “Prosecutors will want to send a message to all other physicians — you have special access to these drugs, you know how they work, and if you do this, you will be prosecuted.”
Please see the full NBC News story by Jonathan Dienst and Courtney Copenhagen at the link below: