Fugitive on the run

Back in July, I posted about a physician from Oregon who had set up a plastic surgery clinic in Beijing, keeping quiet about the numerous criminal charges pending against him Stateside.

Just a few days ago, Dr. Steven Gabriel Moos pulled his children out of the neighborhood Chinese school (where my daughter also attends), moved out of his apartment in the Jianguomenwai Diplomatic Compound and left for parts unknown.

My guess is that he may set up a clinic elsewhere in Asia. Let me know if you hear where he lands.

This is the background on Moos provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at a hearing before Congress:

On June 3, 2004, the Justice Department announced the indictment of Steven Gabriel Moos, an Oregon physician, on multiple criminal charges including the unlawful importation of misbranded drugs and human growth hormone; falsifying information submitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and unlawfully obtaining controlled substances. The indictment stemmed from a multi-Agency investigation which uncovered that Moos had allegedly attempted to import drugs from China which were labeled as vitamin supplements, prednisone or blood pressure medicine but were “misbranded” to appear to be Viagra. Moos also allegedly imported misbranded human growth hormone that was not legitimately manufactured or packaged. According to the indictment, neither of these products included necessary warnings on safe used or contraindications for use; and the lack of appropriate labeling posed significant patient safety concerns.

Moos had been placed on probation by the Oregon Board of Medical Examiners in March 2000 due to his intended prescription practices. Moos allegedly later filed DEA registration forms misrepresenting his status to practice medicine. After the Board of Medical Examiners acted to further suspend Moos’ license to practice medicine in January 2003, Moos allegedly misrepresented his status to drug manufacturers and wholesalers to unlawfully maintain his access to a supply of controlled substances. This investigation was conducted by the Office of Central Intelligence (OCI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), DEA and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS/OIG). Assistance was provided by the Oregon Board of Medical Examiners and the Oregon Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Unit. 

Comments

[A B]

OK, I understand this guy is wanted for criminal acts like illegally importing and distributing drugs.

But to be fair to him, nothing suggests that he is incompetent as a doctor --- whatever specialty he is qualified in (as opposed to what he is practicing in).

Under such circumstances, I am not sure if to have the US continue to pursue him (as long as he stays 'clean' and legal in China) serves much purpose.

It is not as if he is a child molester who has ran off to China where he continue to commit the same crimes.

Somehow, this case feels slightly similar to the Bobby Fischer saga, where the US went to the ends of the earth in attempting to get him back to the US when he is probably no more guilty of any serious crime than to be a brilliant genius who defied a US embargo.

I hate to say this, but would we be so smug if this is the Soviet Union, or even the PRC pursuing a 'dissident' whom they have accused of run-on-the-mill crimes?

Look what just happened to the Chinese that sued Yahoo for complying with a Chinese warrant to obtain information about them.

As a good journalist, why don't you interview him and get his side of the story?

Give truth and fairness a chance.

[nanheyangrouchuan]

Maybe the Chinese authorities decided they didn't want another rotten apple foreigner in the bunch, and this one was practicing medicine.

I feel sorry for his daughter, she is going to end up growing up in remote village somewhere.

[Tim J]

A B, help me find him and I'll be glad to interview him.

Actually, I'm sure he'll be reading this himself. Would you please post, Dr. Moos, and tell us why the DOJ doesn't have a case?

Finally, I disagree with your comparison to Bobby Fischer. That was a case over dissident political views. But if you read the FDA paragraphs cited above, you'll see that what the Feds are alleging is fobbing off one medicine as another. Maybe you don't get sick. But I, for one, sure hope the next time I need a medicine the doctor I go to will give me one that is reliable and not misbranded.

But maybe I'm weird...

[whatsis]

"would we be so smug if this is the Soviet Union, or even the PRC pursuing a 'dissident' whom they have accused of run-on-the-mill crimes?"

Are you seriously comparing the man to a political dissident? He's wanted for medical fraud - big difference.

[A B]

Thank you for responding, TJ.

It is too bad that between the first story in July when you wrote the first post and November, there was no opportunity for you to interview Dr. Moos before he disappeared.

I drew the comparison with Bobby Fischer for a particular reason --- it would be a big stretch to see him as a 'political dissident'. He is a defiant genius who willfully broke US law and stubbed the US in public. Plenty of arguments could be made that what he did damaged US interest and credibility.. ad nauseum.

The bigger point I am trying to make is that there are large differences in what is perceived / legally / punished as crimes across societies, cultures and nations. What would be a big deal in the US (illegally importing a controlled substance like Viagra and Growth Hormones), is not as big a deal in China, or Taiwan, or Korea, or India.

While each society need to have legitimate basis for its own values, and it is also the case that certain values are universal (ie murder is murder in almost every society except those where social order have completely broken down, like in certain conflict ridden areas of Africa), it is not a given that there is a broad, simple standard that can be applied to every nation.

Under such circumstances, before anyone (including foreign journalists) apply their own standards, perhaps it is worth asking a prior question.... which is, even if you agree with those norms, should you not have a more relaxed view when other societies see things differently?

The second issue is even if a person is convicted of a crime in one society, should not, under certain circumstances, the person be permitted to 'start afresh' elsewhere?

For example, Galileo is regarded as a rather dangerous subversive. So is Hobbes, Mohammad, Confucius, Lao Tzu, and probably 75% of the historical figures you can name off the top of the head.

Should I name off the people we know as convicted criminals who became very respectable people? Arafat? Begin? Both terrorists in fact. Mao, Deng... Indeed, after a regime change in the US, who in the present government would be regarded as criminals?

What I am saying is, while it is probably not to China's advantage to completely ignore the fact that this Dr. Moos has a rather unpleasant past in the US, I am saying, he has not done thing wrong that we know of in China, and maybe we should.... let him be.

Tribesmen in Northern Pakistan regard it as their sacred duty to offer hospitality and protection to guests even if they are accused of and known to bave committed serious crimes elsewhere --- as long as they do not commit a crime there.

What is wrong with China extending the same hospitality / protection on the same basis? I am not saying this should be done across the board, but I am saying, some discretion need to be exercised here. If I were in Beijing making decisions, Bobby Fischer would be automatically offered asylum. Dr. Moos?.... probably based on what little facts there is.

Who knows, one of those dissidents may turn out to be the next Oppenheimer and Einstein. If you will recall, both of these people were guilty of crimes against Nazi Germany....

[A B]

The lines between criminal and dissent.... are often very grey. Often the PRC would prosecute dissidents for run-on-the-mill criminal offenses. The Soviet Union use to handle some of their dissidents as psychiatric cases. The US often use the same means --- look at how the administration dealt with Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson. Or how the 'unlawful combatants' captured in Afghanistan, some of them children, were handled.

I do hope no one think the lines are so black and white in the US between criminal and dissent. Take this very recent case, for example:

Dr. Adam Habib, an American educated South African who is the current deputy vice Chancellor of the University of Johannesberg, was denied a visa to visit the USA because he is a 'terrorist'.

As best as I can tell, his biggest crime is being an outspoken critic of US policies. He was allowed to freely enter the US prior to October 2006, and then trouble started.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/11/14/visa_denied_for_south_african_scholar/

Want other examples? How about the persecution of Banko Delta Asia? The false allegations of N Korea printing Supernotes? The bullying of financial institutions that did business with Cuba, etc.

I do hope foreign journalist do not accept what US government agencies put out as 'truth' uncritically all the time.

But then, the People's Daily journalists do with what the Chinese government puts out (at least some of the time) .... so why not do as they do in China?

[A B]

Suppose Barry Bonds decided to skip out and defect to Japan or China instead of facing charges in the US....

He can make a very persuasive case that the charges against him are politically and racially motivated, that comparable crimes committed by whites are rarely prosecuted, and even if they are, they get Presidential Pardons (like Scooter Libby).

Should China or Japan allow him to stay? Play baseball?

Perhaps the Japanese have played Mama-San to the US for so long that they cannot resist an extradition request, but China certainly is in a position to tell the US to take a hike.

There are far less deserving people, like Roman Polansky, who got asylum in France.

[Kamagra Discount]

great blog!!