Man accused of faking psychology degree, prescribing medications
An ABC7 I-Team Exclusive
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Authorities say that Scott C. Redman is not a licensed psychologist, yet he has continued to see clients. Late last week he was brought in on federal charges. Investigators say he fraudulently prescribed medications to a 9-year-old and dozens of others.
The ABC7 I-Team has uncovered the suspect's record of alleged lies and talked to one patient who feels betrayed.
"Now I am just angry, very angry because he has done this and he has presented himself to me as well as other people so I want him stopped, I want my money back," said Gaylean Woods.
Woods is talking about Redman, her former therapist. She thought he was a licensed psychologist after seeing his ad on Psychology Today's website.
"He presented himself as a doctor and said he had a PhD in psychology, been practicing for quite some time with a lot of different couples and families and children, so we started seeing him," Woods said.
Woods says she saw Redman with her husband for marriage counseling for about eight months - paying about $80 per session.
In December, they stopped seeing Redman and called Oak Lawn Police after learning he was not licensed. Police say Redman was arrested and now faces 23 counts of "licensing act violations" because they say Redman is not qualified to provide any psychology services.
Police say they shut down his psychology office in Oak Lawn about a week ago.
"I want him to go to jail, whatever needs to be done," Woods said.
The I-Team found that in 2010, Redman voluntarily relinquished his license with the State of Florida after regulators there say he submitted fraudulent information about a masters degree he never really had.
In May 2014 the State of Illinois issued a cease and desist order. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation told the I-Team that Redman holds no license to act as a therapist or psychologist.
In October 2015 he pleaded guilty in a Cook County court to a misdemeanor charge of rendering psychological services. He was barred from the practice. That guilty plea came after a 2014 arrest in the village of South Holland, where police say he also had an office.
Investigators there say they found degrees that turned out to be fakes.
"He had a diploma on his wall from Walden and he had a made up license from the State of Illinois saying he was Dr. Redman practicing psychotherapy," Woods said.
Redman has several listed home addresses in Indiana but no longer lives at any of them. He did not respond to calls from the I-Team.
To make sure your doctor is licensed, check out records with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation here.
And it never hurts to trust your instincts - something Woods regrets not doing.
ABC7's Jason Knowles: "How violated do you feel?"
Woods: "At first I felt very ashamed - only because I didn't, I consider myself as a very intelligent educated woman and I didn't do enough research on it so I kind of felt sad and ashamed."
The I-Team also learned that Redman was also recently charged with another misdemeanor of "operating without a license" in neighboring south suburban Oak Forest.
He'll be in court Tuesday to face new federal charges. The feds say he was caught at a North Side clinic using another physician's name to prescribe 71 prescriptions.
WEB LINKS TO STATE REGULATION AGENCIES
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
