UCI Student Accused of Impersonating Doctor, Gaining Access to a Children’s Hospital
The former student allegedly was allowed access to restricted areas of UCI’s medical facilities eight times.
The suspect allegedly obtained access to both locations by telling security personnel that he was a doctor but that he had lost his badge.
A former University of California Irvine (UCI) student is facing charges for impersonating a doctor at the UC Irvine Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). Authorities say he was able to gain unauthorized access to the facilities eight times.
The suspect, identified as Ariya Ouskouian, 23, was charged last week with a felony count of providing a medical diagnosis while impersonating a doctor, reports KTLA. He’s also facing eight misdemeanor counts of misrepresenting himself as a licensed medical practitioner.
Prosecutors allege Ouskouian pretended to be a doctor and diagnosed a male patient in a UCI consult room regarding a growth on his neck May 3. The suspect is also believed to have impersonated a doctor and gained access to CHOC on seven different occasions from April 23 to June 24.
Ouskouian allegedly obtained access to both locations by telling security personnel that he was a doctor but that he had lost his badge. On each occasion, the suspect was provided a temporary identification badge.
Hospital staff became suspicious of the defendant and requested verification of his status as a doctor, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office. Ouskouian then allegedly provided the name of a UCI staff member. He was able to convince hospital personnel that he was actually a doctor.
“The UCI personnel then verified Ouskouian to CHOC,” according to the Orange County District Attorney’s officer.
CHOC then reported the incident to the Orange County Police Department. No one was injured during any of the incidents.
If found guilty of the charges, the suspect could be sentenced to three years in state prison and eight years in the Orange County Jail, reports KTLA.
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