Woman sentenced in cure conspiracy

Thursday, December 13, 2007


CAMDEN -- An Egg Harbor City woman convicted more than a year ago of mail and wire fraud for conspiring with a physician to provide a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease was sentenced Wednesday to 33 months in federal prison.

Elizabeth Lerner, 40, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Joseph Rodriguez to make $35,390 in restitution to the victims of the fraud and to pay a $7,500 fine.

On Dec. 8, 2006, Lerner and Dr. Charlene C. DeMarco were convicted of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering after testimony showed DeMarco told families of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis they could treat the disease with stem cell therapy.

Families agreed to pay up to $35,000 each in anticipation of treatments that never were performed. No treatment for the disease had been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

During the trial, representatives of four families, all of whom lived in Louisiana, testified they were in frequent telephone communication with DeMarco and visited her office. The pair had attempted to obtain a total of $140,000.

In September, DeMarco, 55, who shared a home with Lerner in Egg Harbor City, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. She was ordered to make restitution of $32,190 and also fined $7,500.
http://www.courierpostonline.com:80/...EWS01/71213004