NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order against a New Braunfels business, accused of promoting and conducting fraudulent coronavirus testing.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge David A. Ezra in San Antonio reviewed the request, made by federal authorities against Living Health Holistic Healing Center and its owner, Leslie Tatum.
The civil injunction prevents Tatum, through her business, from advertising, offering and performing COVID-19 testing. The complaint also alleges that the test used by Tatum is not authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
According to a civil complaint filed in this case, Living Health and Tatum have “misled the public into believing they are qualified to both administer COVID-19 diagnostic and serological tests and interpret the results of such tests.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas said Tatum, a licensed massage therapist, is not qualified to perform nor evaluate the test results. According to the Department of Justice, Living Health and Tatum operate livinghealthnb.com, a Facebook page and use direct emails to induce customers into purchasing COVID-19 antibody testing for $85.
A hearing on the temporary restraining order is set for 9 a.m. August 25, before Judge Ezra.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations is asking anyone who tested for COVID-19 at Living Health to contact the FBI by calling (210) 225-6741, prompt #1, or go to their website.
The FBI also said those same people should get re-tested by contacting their primary care physician or checking with their local health department, free standing ER or a nearby urgent care facility.
The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (866) 720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at disaster@leo.gov. The Consumer Protection Branch has more information about its enforcement efforts on its website, too.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas also has a special website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx. For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit their website.