Well-respected pain clinic doctor is arrested after meeting two teenaged girls on Tinder.
Treating addiction is a challenging task, and doctors who work in this field do a great service to those who are struggling. However, in the case of one South Florida doctor, the work that was being done in his office is now being overshadowed by what is alleged to have occurred at home. In the medical community in South Florida, Dr. Jeffrey Kamlet, 68, has been well-known for his work in the addiction space. Specifically, he is a popular figure at Tristar Wellness in Miami Beach as the pain clinic’s medical director, and he is noted for work on cardiac care in ibogaine treatment. When used under proper supervision, ibogaine has been shown to cut down on uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous, withdrawal symptoms associated with stopping or cutting back on opiate use. While he has an impressive professional pedigree to his credit, Dr. Kamlet now finds himself in a serious legal situation personally stemming from the relationships he is alleged to have developed with two underaged girls.
The doctor met the two underaged girls the popular dating app Tinder. Sixteen and 17, they were also located at Kamlet’s address when police were following up on a missing person’s report filed by one of the girls’ parents.
Once the two girls had the opportunity to be interviewed by police, they described alleged sexual interactions with Dr. Kamlet. Further, in the aftermath of the police visit, the communication between the older of the two underaged girls and the doctor is alleged to have continued, with the girl not only being paid for sex, but also being provided with cocaine. The charges that have been brought against the doctor in the aftermath of his arrest include human trafficking, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, interference with custody of a child, and more.
Stepping away from the details of this specific case for a moment, statistics show that child prostitution is a huge problem around the globe. It is estimated that more than one million children under the age of 18 are exploited each year. Much of that exploitation happens in Asia, but this is a problem that knows no boundaries and can be found anywhere in the world.
The readily available digital communication tools that have become commonplace in the modern world seem to play a role in the spread of this issue. With so much easy access to so many minors – many of whom may be vulnerable for one reason or another – individuals with bad intentions have plenty of opportunity to take advantage of young people. The Tinder app, specifically, is one that has long had a reputation for “hook ups,” meaning the dating app has been used by many solely for sexual encounters.
Dr. Kamlet has been required by the court to stay away from the alleged victims in this case while he is out on house arrest. It’s still to be seen whether he will spend any time behind bars. There also isn’t any word regarding how the pain clinic will be run in his absence.
Sources:
Miami Beach Doctor Arrested on Human Trafficking, Soliciting Sex Activity With a Minor Charges
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