Sheriff: Man stole doctor's ID, saw 500 patients

This undated booking photo provided by the Cobb County Sheriff in Marietta, Ga., shows Ernest Addo, 48, who was arrested on Aug. 24, 2012 for identity theft and practicing medicine without a license. When Addo's friend went to Africa for a year, he assumed his buddy's identity, all the way down to the man's medical license. Authorities said Addo saw up to 500 patients at five senior homes in Columbia, S.C., before he was discovered. (AP Photo/Cobb County Sheriff)

By JEFFREY COLLINS

Associated Press / September 1, 2012

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Both Agape and Jackson & Coker, the Alpharetta, Ga., physician recruitment firm that placed Addo with the Department of Mental Health, have promised to help authorities. Metts said it could take months for investigators to go through all the medical records.

Jackson & Coker also is exploring any legal action it could take against Addo and is shocked he was able to obtain all the documents someone would need to prove he was a doctor in the United States, spokeswoman Susan Meyers said.

‘‘He was hired the same way in several different places,’’ Meyers said. ‘‘There were no red flags.’’

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Collins can be reached at http://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP