Man who claimed to be a doctor faces 14 fraud charges

A former chiropractor faces 14 fraud charges for allegedly claiming to be a doctor — and treating patients in house calls across Manitoba — when he didn't have a medical licence, according to RCMP.

Police say Leslie Colmer, 66, was arrested while driving on a highway north of Grunthal, Man., in the Rural Municipality of Tache on Tuesday.

He appeared in court in Winnipeg on Wednesday afternoon and remains in custody. Colmer faces one count of assault along with the fraud charges.

Police said they launched an intensive investigation after receiving a complaint from someone who had seen Colmer for what was believed was a medical doctor's appointment.

"There was concern about Colmer’s behaviour as a doctor and about the medications he prescribed," RCMP stated in a news release.

Investigators later discovered that Colmer did not have a medical licence but he was treating patients in Steinbach, Winnipeg, Selkirk and nearby rural communities.

Police said there may be more potential victims in those communities as well as in the Brandon and Beausejour areas.

Colmer did mostly house calls and patients learned of him through word of mouth, an RCMP spokesperson told CBC News, adding that he has no permanent residence but is known to live in several locations.

The Manitoba Chiropractors Association confirmed that Colmer was registered as a chiropractor in the province from 1975 until February 2002. However, officials could not say why he is no longer registered.

Anyone with information about Colmer is asked to call the Steinbach RCMP tip line at (204) 320-8229 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (toll free).