Woman accused of posing as a doctor, writing prescriptions for 'controlled dangerous substances'

A New Jersey woman has been taken into custody after police alleged that she had worked fraudulently as a medical doctor for more than a year.

According to reports, 62-year-old Maria Macburnie had been practicing medicine at Shore Medical Associates in Toms River, New Jersey, along Barnegat Bay, for approximately 15 months. She allegedly joined the organization in March 2022 and remained there until last month.

By all accounts, Macburnie appears to have no medical credentials of her own, but while at Shore Medical, she supposedly pretended to be Dr. Fe Almazon-Condit, a licensed internal medicine physician. A website for the medical center also listed Almazon-Condit as "a USCIS Designated Civil Surgeon with over 20 years experience." USCIS stands for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

A statement from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office claimed that Almazon-Condit is "a relative of Macburnie’s with an active license to practice medicine." How Macburnie may have acquired Almazon-Condit's license or otherwise pass herself off as Almazon-Condit is unclear.

During her time at Shore Medical, Macburnie allegedly performed the tasks expected of a medical professional. Under the name of Dr. Almazon-Condit, the prosecutor's office said, she saw patients, filed insurance claims, and wrote prescriptions — including prescriptions for "controlled dangerous substances."

A testimonial on the Shore Medical website indicates that at least one patient was satisfied with the care "Dr. Condit" provided. "Dr. Condit is a life saver," the patient was quoted as saying. "She helped my dad tremendously. When I had no where to go, she offered me to come and see her to discuss my father's condition. She is so knowledgeable and extremely compassionate, sympathetic and empathetic. I highly recommend her."

On Wednesday, Macburnie was arrested by several law enforcement officials, including DEA agents, and charged with practicing medicine by an unlicensed person, forgery, health care claims fraud, and three counts of distribution of a "controlled dangerous substance." She was booked into the Ocean County jail, though as of Friday afternoon, the jail's online inmate records indicate that no one with the last name Macburnie is currently housed there.

A call to the Shore Medical facility in Toms River seeking comment resulted in an automated recording which stated that the location is "permanently closed."

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