An alternative medicine therapist from Radford, Virginia was recently arrested with charges of performing medical procedures without a license. 66-year-old Martin Riding from runs the Renew For Life holistic health clinic out of his home. There were 64 charges against him in total, 32 of which are felony counts of performing invasive procedures, and 32 misdemeanor counts of performing regular procedures.
Riding’s Practice
It appears that Riding is not an actual medical doctor. Based upon information gathered from his website, he calls himself an alternative medicine therapist who focuses on the interplay of physical health and emotional health. He does, however, offer services such as breast exams and lump draining procedures, as well as relationship counseling.
The Charges
Each and every one of the felony counts alleged against Riding carries a potential one to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $2,500. The misdemeanors also present the possibility of a fine and jail time. After he was arrested, Riding was not available for comment.
The Investigation
Riding has been under investigation for nearly half a year. Detective Carla Cross met with a woman who had been employed by the alternative practitioner, and she claimed he had some disturbing practices. The woman told investigators that there were cameras throughout the exam rooms where Riding did his examinations. Women were often directed to undress in these rooms. The former employee said she had also seen photos of nude women from these cameras on Riding’s personal computers.
Detective Cross also wrote that she had interviewed multiple clients from Riding’s practice. She said one woman believed she saw Riding take a picture of her vagina during an examination. He did so with his cellphone and without her consent.
During the investigation, Cross and her team of investigators seized computers, client records, and other stored files from Renew For Life. Many of these items showed that Riding had performed multiple procedures that were invasive to clients. Riding did not have a license to perform any of these procedures, and had never tried to obtain one. The records indicated Riding had been doing these procedures on adults and children alike for over two years. The warrants did not describe the exact procedures Riding was performing, though.
The prosecuting attorney said that Riding had owned and operated Renew For Life since 2005, and could not comment on how many potential victims there could be over the years.
