October 28, 2006
17 Years Later, I'm Laughing My Butt Off!
This is a cautionary tale, but a true one. Many years ago, I was the Program Director of an adult psychiatric unit in a private psychiatric hospital I had a program assistant by the name of... well, let's call him "Dario." Dario told everyone that he had a degree in Chemistry, and 3 years of medical school. He talked the talk and walked the walk. He had learned conversations with physicians, and though only a lowly assistant, he believed that he was the next Albert Schweitzer.
One day, sitting in the coffee room, Dario came in and went into the bathroom. Previously, one of the staff had been in there and had knocked over a bottle of talcum powder. Dario goes in, and comes out. "There is white powder all over the floor in there."
"Oh no," says I, "you didn't step in that and get some on your shoes did you?"
"Why?" says Dario.
"One of the psych patients walked in there earlier and he has dry urine disease. It's highly contageous Dario, if you stepped in it, please, sit down and carefully take off your shoes, and put them in the trash."
Dario sat as requested, with a look of concern on his face and the beginnings of a bead or two of sweat on his brow.
"Wait," said I, "let me get you some latex gloves so you don't accidently touch the powdered urine." I rose to get him the latex gloves. I swear he was almost shaking by the time I got back.
Gently, Dario took his shoes off and placed them carefully in the trash can.
Later (much later in fact) we took pity on Dario and told him it was a joke.
A couple of months later, I discovered that Dario did not have a degree in Chemistry and, calling the medical school, found out they didn't know who he was. When confronted he initially tried to bluff his way through, but I kept grilling him. Not too much later, I fired Ducky.
Many years later, after I was in private practice, I came across Dario at a bidding conference for a local agency. Dario introduced himself as a Psychologist. Another (real) psychologist and a good friend of mine questioned Dario who confirmed he was indeed a Psychologist.
My friend, called the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists though and found out that Dario was fraudulently claiming that distinction. My friend filed a complaint with the TSBEP who issued, I believe, a cease and desist order.
Complaints against Dario have been filed with the Licenesd Professonal Counselors Board, the Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors Board and the Social Workers Board.
This last week Dario allegedly was found to be practicing medicine without a license, having obtained the name of a real physician similar to his own. Dario was arrested and has been released on $100,000.00 bond. I hope no one was hurt by this guy.
I plan to be at the trial, for sure. I want to see what the long term effects of dry urine disease is.
Posted by GM Roper at October 28, 2006 10:06 PM | TrackBackTechnically, I think you will be following up on the long term effects of Talcum Powder disease.
Seriously, though, good for you. Lots of people would blow it off as somebody else's problem. I'm glad you don't look at it that way.
Posted by DRJ at October 28, 2006 10:25 PM
I've been studying this resume padding phenomenon. There are numerous articles out there about it. There is one in particular by the University of Maryland published by their School of Public Policy, called phonies fakes and frauds and the social harms they cause. It was published in their Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly 23.1/2 (Winter/Spring 2003), and was written by Dr. Gehring, who teaches teaches Moral Dimensions of Public Policy (PUAF 650) at the School of Public Policy. She's written several interesting articles, one is a book I've been meaning to pick up, called The Internet in Public Life (2004).
At any rate, that one article about Phonies Fakes and Frauds even references her personal experience with Joe Cafasso, who was the fiance of a friend of hers. She describes how he bragged about his military record, and she recognized immediately that he was a fraud. Amazingly, though, she didn't tell her friend what her suspicions were! I thought it was odd that she would do that, and even worse, that she would admit it in an article! Is that what happens...? Do people see these things and then not say anything so they allow the destructive charade to go on?
There are too many people out there who are doing this kind of thing, GM. I'm glad to see this Dario character is getting his just deserts! I might write about this at the Wide Awakes at the AAB this morning if I get the time.
Keep us updated as to the progress in this case, it certainly is fascinating how some people have the astonishing bravado to assume that everyone else is stupid enough to swallow their line of bs.
Posted by Cao at October 29, 2006 07:27 AM
I know some liberals who falsely claim to be experts on government and rational thinking. The penalty for that is on the society that believes them.
Posted by Woody at October 29, 2006 08:15 AM
How many Dario's are out there--and doing damage?
We need more people like you, GM, to keep track of quacks like Dario.
That dry-urine-disease trick is hilarious. I wonder if Dario would've gone snipe hunting?
Posted by Always On Watch at October 29, 2006 09:22 AM
Wow.....it took them all that time to cath thatguy?
But the dry urine disease is a good one.....remind me sometime to tell you about Pyramid Lake.
Posted by Kender at October 29, 2006 10:32 AM
Dry urine could only come from dry humor. How'd you come up with that?
One of the more interesting movies that I've seen is "Catch Me if You Can." (I had a relative in it!) It's about Frank Abagnale, Jr., who was quite a skilled imposter of many professions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Abagnale
I once read a book called "Exit the Rainman" about a guy who walked off his job as a college president and started life all over again with a new identity (in Texas). Years later, it caught up with him, then he did it again.
Did I ever tell you tabout my career as a professional wrestler? Instead of hitting people with chairs, I used calculators.
Posted by Woody at October 29, 2006 12:00 PM
