Shriharsh L. Pole, MD

Shriharsh Laxman Pole, MD, 65, an internist in Woodbridge, VA, pleaded guilty this week to distribution of controlled substances to patients at his pain management clinic, which per the Controlled Substance Act, is not illegal. Naturally I find it difficult to chastise another physician on their decision to cop a plea when it is the government breaking the law, but I hope by writing a post on this doctor’s decision, and by offering more possibilities in defense attorneys on DoC, that doctors will come to our site and see that copping a plea is doing more harm than good—unless they get an agreed-upon sentence of only probation, and then come to work with us to stop these illegal attacks and exonerate all innocent physicians in prison. In this case, Dr. Pole could still be sentenced to 20 years in prison. But of course the government wore him down over the years until he financially could do nothing else.

So why was Dr. Pole targeted? First, he is a perfect example of the type of physician I’ve been warning as probable government/BOM targeting. He is minority from India, with his medical school training at the University of Bombay. He then came to the US for his residency, where he was used for cheap slave labor. He finished his residency in 2003. Thinking then that he would start practice in the “land of the free”, he started working. But within 6 years, he was already targeted and attacked by the Board of Medicine.

This is a perfect example of the collusion between the state boards of medicine with the DOJ to eliminate any targeted physician. Dr. Pole was first targeted by the BOM in 2000, but he met their requirements, and continued his practice. But that was only the start of a paper trail now being waved in his face. He didn’t read between the lines, so in 2009 he was dragged up again before the board with more bogus charges. Decision-making on treatment should be purely the doctor’s, but any doctor targeted could be held in violation of whatever the board wants, simply because they have the power. They simply make the charges, even if there hasn’t been any undesirable results with patients. Then the doctor has to face whether to accept the order or go before the full board with the possibility of losing his/her license which, in Virginia, is a given. So the doctor signed a “consent” order. In the consent order, it actually states “I neither admit nor deny the truth of the above Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” which would seem to mean that, not being proven, the charges are null and void and life would go on. But that is not the case. In a court of law, the BOM charges are held as fact against you.  Doctors need to be aware of this before they sign a consent order. Of course, fighting these charges could cost up to $100,000, which most doctors who have had their practices closed down, can’t afford.

When you sign one of these consent orders, again, you think that will be the end of it. I’m sure in Dr. Pole’s case, being in his 60’s, that he just figured he would retire. So he brought in another physician and nurse practitioner to work out of his office. Notice that, although mentioned, the other physician involved is not named. That is probably because that physician was tagged as a “government witness” and threatened to either testify against Dr. Pole, or be charged as well.

How do I know the actual workings behind this case so well?  Because it is a mirror image of what happened to me.

But on with this case:

Upon surrendering his license in 2013 per the BOM consent order, Dr. Pole was compassionate enough to try to make sure his patients weren’t thrown to the street. I did the same thing in 2008 when my practice was first closed and my patients couldn’t find another clinic. I brought another doctor into the building to treat those who needed treatment. This was perfectly legal and justifiable. Dr. Pole brought in 63 y/o Janelle Hibson, a licensed nurse practitioner, to work in the clinic with another unnamed physician. But on Sept 6, she also pleaded guilty to the same charges Dr. Pole just pleaded to, or be faced with seven distribution charges herself.

Dr. Pole’s plea was to conspiracy to distribution of controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose—the illegal use of the Controlled Substances Act by the DOJ. His sentencing will be March 15.

The people who are really guilty of breaking the law are: US Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger and his Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and David Peters, FBI Ass’t Dir. Nancy McNamara, and Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

Addendum

Dr. Pole received a sentence in April, 2019, of 7+ years in prison.  However, he was released from prison on January 13, 2022.

To end these attacks, restore pain management, and provide compensation to all the families that have been destroyed by government overreach, we must get the Controlled Substance Act repealed.  Join Doctorsofcourage to get that done. Learn what we teach and spread the word.  NO DRUG CAUSES ADDICTION!! Let’s end the War on Drugs, Doctors and Pain Patients, end the black market, solve the southern border crisis, and restore proper pain management.  It CAN be done! 

Addendum:

I have failed in my mission to end these attacks on doctors and pain patients. Through John Bevere’s book The Bait of Satan, I have figured out why—my lack of forgiveness to those who attacked me. As in Mark 11: 24-26:

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespassed. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

And when you do not do the will of the Father, you are estranged from him and he will ignore you.  So we all must forgive the agents who attacked us in order for things to be made right through any of our works.

Jesus said

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

But we cannot lay down our lives for God unless we know Him well enough to trust Him. We must have the assurance that He would never do anything to harm us. He always looks out for what He knows is in our best interest. As a nation, those of us suffering from these attacks must understand that we are serving as God’s messengers of love.  We must forgive those who persecute us and love them instead, following God’s will for us. Then and only then will we see fruits from our labor.

So I hope that everyone who has suffered from what happened to Dr. Pole can trust the Lord, forgive those who have hurt you, and help bring this country back to the God-fearing country that our forefathers founded. Then, and only then, can you be a part of the effort to stop these attacks. I look forward to that day.