New Jersey Woman Charged After Alleged Unlicensed Medical Practices at Closed Women’s Clinic
A former Essex County, New Jersey, women’s health clinic is facing serious charges for providing medical services without a license and billing Medicaid fraudulently. The case concerns patient safety, medical monitoring, and public healthcare budget misuse.
State authorities indicted 63-year-old East Orange resident and Bessie Mae Women’s Health Center owner Esney Davis-Sharpe on multiple charges. Davis-Sharpe performed obstetrics and gynecology on unlicensed New Jersey residents, investigators found. The clinic closed in January 2024 after legal and regulatory action.
Authorities said misbehavior extended beyond illegal medical treatment. Investigation found significant healthcare billing breaches at the hospital. The NJ Medicaid Program received thousands of claims over several years, officials said. Identity misuse and systemic fraud are raised by the suspected filing of several claims in the names of two licensed physicians without their authorization.
Davis-Sharpe faces conspiracy, unlicensed medication, healthcare claims fraud, and Medicaid fraud charges. State prosecutors say the facility operated despite regulatory warnings from late 2020 until early 2024.
A clinic employee has been accused of unlicensed gynecology since 2021. The employee was a Pennsylvania hospital medical student, officials said. Authorities have not confirmed whether the institution knew about the misconduct.
State agencies found clinic violations in August 2023. The institution was ordered to discontinue providing medical services by the New Jersey Department of Health after an investigation. The East Orange location shuttered after that directive.
Officials warned that unauthorized medicine, especially in women’s healthcare, is dangerous. Medical licensees must meet rigorous education, training, and oversight to safeguard public health. Bypassing those requirements may hurt patients unknowingly.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor is prosecuting the case with help from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Division of Criminal Justice. Prosecutors said the investigation remains focused on accountability and public healthcare.
In recent updates, Davis-Sharpe has not addressed the charges. All criminal trials entail charges, and defendants are innocent unless proven guilty.
State officials said the case stresses the need of patients checking physicians’ credentials and medical facilities following licensing and billing requirements. Authorities vowed to prosecute healthcare fraud to protect patients and taxpayer-funded services.
Sources
New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice
Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
New Jersey Department of Health
