{"id":2086033,"date":"2023-10-31T21:45:03","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T01:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-orthopedic-doctor-accused-of-manipulating-online-reviews-fined-100000\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T21:55:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T01:55:28","slug":"ny-orthopedic-doctor-accused-of-manipulating-online-reviews-fined-100000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-orthopedic-doctor-accused-of-manipulating-online-reviews-fined-100000\/","title":{"rendered":"NY Orthopedic Doctor Fined $100,000 for Online Review Manipulation."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fny-orthopedic-doctor-accused-of-manipulating-online-reviews-fined-100000%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2086033&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>A Manhattan Orthopedic Doctor Fined\u2063 $100,000 for Manipulating Online Reviews<\/h2>\n<p>A\u200b Manhattan orthopedic doctor has agreed to pay \u2063a \u2062$100,000 fine after allegedly manipulating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/complete-shithole-bidens-namesake-rest-stop-in-disarray\/\" title=\"\u2018Complete Shithole\u2019: Biden\u2019s Namesake Rest Stop in Disarray\">online reviews<\/a> of his practice to \u2062attract prospective \u2062patients,\u2062 according to New York Attorney General Letitia James&#8217;s office.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. \u200bMark Mohrmann allegedly worked with his wife, Alexandra, to suppress \u200dnegative reviews\u2064 and &#8220;artificially inflate&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/publisher-halts-best-selling-book-after-sexual-misconduct-claims-suddenly-surface-against-author\/\" title=\"Publisher Halts Best-Selling Book After Sexual Misconduct Claims Suddenly Surface Against Author\">positive reviews<\/a> of his practice, Highline Orthopedics, on multiple websites \u200bincluding ZocDoc, \u2064Google, Yelp, Healthgrades, Vitals, Md.com, RateMds.com, \u2063and \u200cthe Better\u200c Business \u200bBureau, in violation of New York\u2019s \u2064business laws, according to the Office of\u2063 the Attorney \u200bGeneral (OAG).<\/p>\n<p>Along with a fine of $100,000, Dr. Mohrmann and his wife must\u2063 also take down all of the \u200cfake positive reviews, the OAG said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/public-services-at-risk-if-new-york-doesnt-limit-spending-on-illegal-immigrants-state-official-warns-5519615?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">Public\u200c Services &#8216;At Risk&#8217; If New York Doesn&#8217;t Limit Spending on \u200cIllegal Immigrants, State Official\u200c Warns<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/30\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/public-services-at-risk-if-new-york-doesnt-limit-spending-on-illegal-immigrants-state-official-warns-5519615?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n<picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" https:><\/source>\n<\/picture>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/pro-palestinian-protest-shuts-down-new-yorks-grand-central-terminal-5518645?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">Pro-Palestinian Protest \u200cShuts Down New York\u2019s Grand Central Terminal<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/28\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/pro-palestinian-protest-shuts-down-new-yorks-grand-central-terminal-5518645?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n<picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" https:><\/source>\n<\/picture>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Many\u2062 patients rely on\u200c online reviews when \u200dchoosing which doctor to trust with their health, and it\u2019s important that these reviews are authentic,&#8221; said Ms. James. &#8220;Dr. Mohrmann deceived \u200dpatients through a secret campaign\u200c to remove negative reviews and unfairly obtain positive reviews \u2064to boost\u200c his practice. These actions are illegal and\u200d unacceptable, particularly\u2062 for critical\u2063 services like medical care. My office will continue to take action\u200d against\u2064 those trying to mislead patients in New\u200b York.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>According to prosecutors, Dr. Mohrmann and his wife used\u200d multiple techniques to \u200cprevent prospective \u2062patients from seeing negative reviews posted by previous\u2063 patients\u2063 who were not satisfied with their experience or treatment at Highline Orthopedics.<\/p>\n<p>These \u2062included &#8220;falsely flagging&#8221; various \u200cnegative reviews\u2062 for removal from\u2063 some platforms \u2064by claiming they\u2062 violated that platform\u2019s policies prohibiting inappropriate conduct.<\/p>\n<p>In other cases, Dr. Mohrmann would allegedly\u200c get his office to\u200c contact patients who \u2062left negative reviews of his\u2062 practice and offer to \u200brefund\u200d their copay or other costs in return for them removing the bad review, officials said.<\/p>\n<p>The orthopedic doctor would also prevent some patients from leaving negative reviews on sites like ZocDoc by falsely claiming they did not show \u2063up for their appointment with him and \u200cthus could \u2064not legally leave a\u200d review for \u2063him, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;As a result of these efforts, common complaints about Dr. Mohrmann, such \u200bas failing to\u2062 listen\u2064 to patient complaints,\u2062 surprise charges, poor bedside \u2064manner, and poor\u2062 communication\u200d were hidden from prospective patients,&#8221; Ms. James&#8217;s office said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>  A nurse \u2064at the \u200bHoag Orthopedic Institute demonstrates a knee implant at the Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, Calif., on Sept.\u2064 23. \u2063(Eric Zhang\/The Epoch Times)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<h2>Family, Friends Made &#8216;Fake Reviews&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Additionally, Dr. Mohrmann and his wife allegedly illegally obtained positive, five-star \u200breviews of\u2064 Highline Orthopedics by getting family, friends, and employees to write them. The \u2062reviews were written by family and friends even when they had not been\u200c seen \u200dby Dr. \u200bMohrmann or received any treatment\u200b from him, according \u2062to \u200bMs. James&#8217;s office.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Ms. Mohrmann also used websites including Fiverr.com \u2064and Upwork.com to hire people to post fake reviews between\u2064 2017\u20132019, according to prosecutors. After hiring the\u200b individuals, she\u2064 would either write the text for such reviews herself or would \u2063copy and paste positive reviews posted to \u200cother orthopedic \u2062specialists and hand\u2062 them to the contractors, officials said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The contractors would then \u2062utilize networks of fraudulent accounts to post\u200b the reviews under the\u200d guise of\u200c one of\u200d Dr. Mohrmann\u2019s patients,&#8221; Ms. James&#8217;s office said.<\/p>\n<p>New York Executive \u200bLaw\u200b prohibits\u200d persons or business entities from engaging in repeated fraudulent or illegal acts\u200c or otherwise demonstrating persistent fraud or\u200d illegality in the &#8220;carrying on, conducting or transaction of business.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It also bans deceptive\u2064 acts or practices in the &#8220;conduct of any business, trade or commerce or in the furnishing of any service&#8221; in the\u2062 state.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>According to\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthgrades.com\/physician\/dr-mark-mohrmann-xp2jx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HealthGrades,<\/a> \u2064 a website providing information about physicians, hospitals, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ten-gop-senators-counter-bidens-1-9-trillion-relief-plan-request-meeting\/\" title=\"Ten GOP Senators Counter Biden\u2019s .9 Trillion Relief Plan, Request Meeting\">health care providers<\/a>, Dr. Mohrmann graduated from New York University Grossman School of\u200d Medicine\u2063 in 1997 and has over 25 years of experience in the medical field.\n<\/div>\n<p>He \u2063is also affiliated with multiple \u200bhospitals and\u2064 medical facilities\u2063 including Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital, although a \u200bprofile for him at\u200c the Mount Sinai Hospital has since been\u2063 removed.<\/p>\n<p>According to his profile on the website of Lenox Hill \u200bHospital, Dr. Mohrmann claimed to specialize in various <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-orthopedic-doctor-accused-of-manipulating-online-reviews-fined-100000\/\" title=\"NY Orthopedic Doctor Fined 0,000 for Online Review Manipulation.\">procedures including endoscopic carpal tunnel release<\/a> and\u2064 small\u2063 joint arthroscopy as well as \u2062the replantation of amputated parts.<\/p>\n<p>It\u200c is not clear if Dr. Mohrmann has legal representation.<\/p>\n<p>The Epoch Times has contacted New \u200dYork Attorney General Letitia James&#8217;s office for\u2064 further comment.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2>What are the legal and ethical consequences\u2062 of manipulating\u200c online reviews, especially in the field of medicine?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200d The Manhattan orthopedic community was recently shaken \u2064by a scandal involving Dr.\u2064 Mark \u200bMohrmann, \u2062who has agreed to pay a hefty fine of \u200c$100,000 for manipulating online\u200c reviews of his practice. According to the Office\u2063 of the New York Attorney General,\u200c Dr. Mohrmann allegedly collaborated \u200cwith his wife, Alexandra, to\u2064 suppress negative reviews and artificially boost positive ones on\u200b various platforms including \u200bZocDoc, Google, Yelp, Healthgrades, Vitals, Md.com, RateMds.com, and the Better Business Bureau. These actions are in violation of New York\u2019s business laws.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the fine, Dr. Mohrmann and his wife have been ordered to remove all of the fake positive reviews. \u2063This decision comes after an investigation by the New York Attorney General&#8217;s office, which uncovered the doctor&#8217;s\u200b secret campaign to deceive patients and improve his practice&#8217;s \u2063reputation. The practice of manipulating \u2063online reviews is not only illegal but also unethical, particularly in the crucial field of medical care where patients heavily rely on such reviews\u200d to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/your-air-fryer-is-spying-on-you-warns-ted-cruz-in-introducing-bipartisan-smart-tech-consumer-privacy-bill\/\" title=\"Ted Cruz warns: Your air fryer spies on you! Introducing a privacy bill to protect consumers from smart tech.\">make informed\u2063 decisions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>New York Attorney\u200b General Letitia James\u200c emphasized the importance of authentic online \u200dreviews in helping patients entrust their health to the \u200bright doctor. She \u200dcondemned Dr. Mohrmann&#8217;s actions, stating that he \u200bhad deceived patients by surreptitiously removing negative reviews and unfairly obtaining positive ones. As the Attorney General,\u2064 she pledged to take\u2064 action against\u200d anyone attempting to mislead patients in New York.<\/p>\n<p>The prosecution presented<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Manhattan orthopedic doctor, Dr. Mark Mohrmann, will pay a $100,000 fine for reportedly manipulating online reviews of his practice. He allegedly collaborated with his wife, Alexandra, to suppress negative reviews and boost positive ones for Highline Orthopedics. New York Attorney General Letitia James&#8217;s office oversaw the case.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":2086034,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2086033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2086033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2086034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2086033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2086033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2086033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}