Disgraced Hollywood Doc Busted

JULY 21--The Los Angeles doctor who was defrocked for improperly prescribing painkillers to Winona Ryder, Courtney Love, and other well-heeled patients, was arrested earlier this month for illegally practicing medicine, The Smoking Gun has learned.

Jules Lusman, the 50-year-old "Dr. Feelgood" whose unprofessional conduct led California regulators to yank his medical license last December, was busted July 3 on charges that he recently performed medical procedures on two female patients who visited his Brentwood condominium.

According to the below Los Angeles Superior Court criminal complaint, which charges Lusman with four felonies and four misdemeanors, he injected both women with Perlane, a substance yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration that has been used for "facial rejuvenation" projects such as the plumping of one's lips. Lusman, who was also charged with giving one of the women Botox injections, was released from custody after spending six days in jail.

The criminal probe stemmed from one patient's dissatisfaction with the results of her May 26 cosmetic procedure, according to a TSG source. After Lusman dismissed her complaint that the treatment resulted in bumps on her face (and told her she needed psychiatric treatment for lodging such a complaint), the patient went online to the Medical Board of California's web site to research Lusman. After discovering his checkered history--and lack of a license--the woman then contacted investigators, who raided Lusman's condo last month and seized records leading them to the other patient. Click here to view the search warrant affidavit for Lusman's residence.

A judge directed Lusman, who has traveled frequently to South Africa, to surrender his passport and not leave L.A. without court permission. He was also ordered not to practice or dispense medicine. But Lusman, of course, has heard that one before. (5 pages)