Criminal investigation after patient dies at office of doctor linked to stem cell

Interview with Dr. Zannos Grekos Grekos contests that his office has done ...

LEE COUNTY The Lee County Sheriffs Office is conducting a criminal investigation into the medical practice of a Bonita Springs cardiologist after one of his patients died last week.

The investigation comes one day after state health authorities suspended Dr. Zannos Grekos license, according to a sheriffs investigator.

The Sheriffs Office served a search warrant Thursday morning at Grekos practice, Regenocyte, 9500 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 310, to start collecting evidence of whats been going on at the practice, said Lt. Ryan Bell, with the major crimes division.

We are currently conducting a criminal investigation into Dr. Grekos and his medical practice, Bell said outside of Grekos practice. We have been working with the Department of Health and the Board of Medicine and the Medical Examiners Office. Its still early in the investigation.

The Sheriffs Office identified the patient who died as 77-year-old Richard Poling of Newburgh, Ind.

Grekos was expected to come to work Thursday, but did not show up, Bell said. Employees arrived for work Thursday and were cooperating, he said.

Were in the process of interviewing all the employees in furtherance of the investigation and everyone has been cooperative with law enforcement, Bell said.

The state Department of Health issued an emergency suspension of Grekos license on Wednesday after he violated an earlier license restriction for performing an unlicensed stem cell treatment in 2010 on a breast cancer patient who later died, according to the restriction order issued in February 2011.

The original restriction prohibited Grekos from doing anything with bone marrow or stem cells in his Bonita Springs office.

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Criminal investigation after patient dies at office of doctor linked to stem cell