Doctor to determine if fired Wantagh janitor can return

  Eyewitness NewsWANTAGH, N.Y. (WABC) -- A hearing for a janitor who was fired following an outburst has determined he is now suspended with pay.

"I feel great they gave me a second chance and I promise not to do it again," said Turner.

Mel turner is on cloud nine, and tons of people are happy for him.

"I understand they need to take their time and have them evaluated but I have no doubt that Mel will be approved to be safe," said Elizabeth Stacy.

A few weeks ago Turner had an autistic outburst.

He said a group of kids had been bullying him and he yelled that he was going to blow up the school.

The audio tape eventually made its way into the hands of administrators.

They fired turner, who had been working as a janitor in the Wantagh school district for the past five years.

He's been beloved in the community for decades.

"The school is standing by and they're going to do a good bullying program. this graduating class will be the class that made the difference in the community," said Patrick Ryder, a Turner advocate.

Turner will remain suspended, and was ordered to go see a doctor who will then determine if he is able to work.

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(Copyright ©2012 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Long Island News »

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Doctor, patients charged with fraud

WASHINGTON (WABC) -- A doctor from Manhattan and dozens of his patients are charged with faking their infection with the virus that causes AIDS, and then billing Medicaid for expensive treatment therapies.

It's an embarrassing fall from grace for a man residents in this area relied on for help.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office alleges that Dr. Suresh K. Hemrajani's scheme dates back to at least 2008 and defrauded Medicaid out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Investigators say he billed Medicaid for patient visits that didn't take place and billed the cost of medications to Medicaid.

Here's how investigators say he did it: He would prescribe HIV medication for patients who would then go to hospitals and pharmacies.

The prescription would be filled, paid for by Medicaid, and then the drugs would be sold on the black market for a profit.

Sources say 30 patients have been charged in connection with the case, and say it may involve as many as 100.

The district attorney's office say Hemrajani victimized not only the neediest members of the community, but also all New York taxpayers.

Hemrajani is charged with grand larceny, fraud and falisfying business records. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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