California Professional License Defense Blog

Ira Messing, 61 owner of Hall of Fame Design and Remolding was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison and ordered to pay $845,000.00 in victim restitution. Messing plead to 15 felony counts of diverting construction funds when he contracted with 15 homeowners to install sunrooms in their homes. Instead of using the money to complete the construction projects, Messing used their money to complete older jobs.

Messing was arrested in Kansas and waived extradition to Orange County where he was sentence.

Dr. Brian West, of Huntington Beach will lose his California Medical License next month after allegations of negligence and a “pattern of dishonesty.” West, who performed surgeries throughout Southern California declined to comment.

Dr. West is accused of gross negligence in a 2000 breast cancer breast reconstruction. The patient had a mastectomy on one breast and wanted Dr. West to perform a lift on her other breast to match. According to reports, West reduced her breasts from D cups, leaving one a C cup and the other a B cup. The patient says she did not give West permission to reduce her breast size. The California Medical Board agreed with the patient.

In addition, Dr. West was arrested for suspicion of DUI in 2000. In this case, West was on his way to see a patient in the hospital when he was involved in a traffic accident. West had a BAC of .19. When questioned by a California Medical Board investigator, West denied he was on the way to the hospital despite a letter of apology he had written to the patient admitting he was.

In 2005, West was placed on probation following two convictions for VC 23152 (a) & VC 23152 (b)- driving under the influence as well as dishonesty. Due to lack of acknowledgment to his errors and the breast patient dishonesty, the board decided to revoke his license rather than extend probation.

California Attorney General Edmund Brown Jr. filed charges against 6 people working with “We Care” hospice in Sherman Oaks. Included in those who had arrest warrants issued were two California physicians, and the owner of “We Care.” All defendants are to appear in Los Angeles Superior Court. If convicted on all counts, the defendants could receive up to nine years in prison.

The six individuals were involved in getting healthy seniors to be admitted into a hospice for terminally ill and then bill the California and the Federal Government for procedures never performed. The total the six individuals were responsible for billing $9 million and used the money to purchase homes and cars. The Delmendo family alone spent $1.7 million cash for a luxury home.

Of those arrested were:

Milagros Delmendo, 58, of Northridge and the owner of “We Care.” She was charged with four counts of grand theft, presenting false Medi-Cal claims, making fraudulent claims to the government, and paying unlawful remuneration.

- Kristina Delmendo Deguzman, 31, of Northridge and daughter of Milagros Delmendo. She was charged with three counts of grand theft, presenting false Medi-Cal claims, and making fraudulent claims to the government.

- Mark Delmendo, 28, of Studio City and son of Milagros Delmendo. He was charged with three counts of grand theft, presenting false Medi-Cal claims, and making fraudulent claims to the government.

- Nolan Jones, M.D., 60, of Los Angeles, on three counts of grand theft, presenting false Medi-Cal claims, and making fraudulent claims to the government.

- Anselmo Alliegro, M.D., 78, of Dundalk, Maryland, on three counts of grand theft, presenting false Medi-Cal claims, and making fraudulent claims to the government.

- Ramon Parayno, 46, of Studio City, on two counts of grand theft and paying unlawful remuneration.