A Pennsylvanian woman, 56-year-old Joann Elizabeth Wingate, was arrested on charges of Felony Forgery, Fraud and Identity Theft and is being held on $10,000 bail after posing as a doctor and giving medical examinations to truckers in need of examinations for their CDL licenses it is reported.

Her doctor scheme fell apart after a California trucker grew suspicious after finding out his driver’s license was not in order, and a criminal probe was initiated. California officials informed the trucker that there had been a problem with the forms submitted to them by Wingate.

The trucker told authorities that there was something odd about the fake doctor. He told investigators that Wingate picked him up  and transported him in an old blue Ford Tempo to her house where she gave him his exam. He stated that he had even given her a urine sample. The trucker pointed out that even though  he was suspicious of the mode of transportation and the fact that the exam was given to him in her home, everything else she did jibed with a standard examination. He thought no more of it until California DOT notified him that something was wrong with his CDL license.

The trucker, now suspicious of the “doctor,” investigated her further on the Internet and also made a second visit with Wingate. While at the woman’s home, the trucker managed to take a picture of the medical certificate on the wall there. 

The investigation revealed that Wingate had given other exams to truckers as well, in addition to another trucker that investigators contacted, 16 other drivers were shown to have had exams by the woman. According to documents, the woman advertised her services at popular stopping points such as car washes and other spots and charged $65 per exam.

When investigators searched the woman’s home during the investigation, they found that she had on display a medical certificate issued to Dr. Barbara Wingate, a psychiatrist in the Philadelphia area. The real doctor Wingate pointed out that she was a psychiatrist and did not do exams.

Also found in the home were all the items that a doctor would need to conduct medical exams and administer urine tests. Documents and forms related to DOT physicals, and advertising material for posting DOT physicals and drug testing were also found.

The “Doctor” faces other charges as well, while searching her home, investigators uncovered marijuana and narcotics paraphernalia.

“Dr” Wingate goes to court on July 16th.

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