An allegedly bogus naturopath who treated people for everything from broken bones to cancer tricked patients with phony blood tests and fake X-rays, according to Toronto Police.

“This man is not a doctor, nor is he a naturopath or an osteopath,” Det. Gail Regan said. “He was pretending to be those things.”

Police say Dennis Robinson, 67, has worked as a naturopath in the city for at least seven years with only a high school education — most recently out of an office at 2258 Danforth Ave., near Woodbine Ave.

Investigators began their probe July 10 after receiving a complaint from a U.S. laboratory about “fictitious” blood tests.

Regan said the lab in Scottsdale, Ariz, received a call from one of Robinson’s patients.

“She had blood drawn and was charged $50,” Regan said.

The woman later compared the results to the findings of an earlier blood test done by her family doctor and alarm bells went off because the “numbers didn’t make any sense,” Regan said.

She said the woman called Fry Laboratories, which was printed at the top of the blood report, and learned the lab never had any contact with Robinson’s Toronto Alternative Medical Practice.

While investigators were in the office, she claims they determined two different needles were used to fool patients into believing their blood had been drawn.

“He wasn’t actually extracting any blood,” Regan said.

She alleges Robinson would prick patients with an insulin needle, used by diabetics, then switch to another needle that was coloured red so at a quick glance it appeared full of blood.

Robinson also allegedly tricked patients into paying for X-rays, even though he owned no such equipment.

“He was taking X-rays, but actually using camera,” Regan said. “Then he would download X-rays of a broken ankle, or whatever, from the Internet and show that image to the patient.”

Robinson was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts each of fraud under $5,000 and assault.

The accused previously claimed to be a doctor — trained in naturopathy and osteopathy — while running his business out of a basement office at 2828 Danforth, near Dawes Rd., from 2008 to 2011, according to police.

But the College of Physicians and Surgeons shut that office down. A year later, he opened up at his new office, but didn’t identify himself as a doctor.

“He had lots of credentials plastered all over the walls,” Regan said, explaining there were “fictitious” diplomas from NEC College and Western University.

Regan said many of the patients she has spoken with are convinced Robinson cured them.

chris.doucette@sunmedia.ca

NOBODY IN SIGHT

There’s nobody in sight at the Toronto Alternative Medical Practice near Main St. and the Danforth.

It’s a stark contrast to the usual lineup out the door of eager patients waiting to see Dennis Ross Cecil Robinson, a self-proclaimed “doctor of naprapathic medicine” — a system of manual medicine and nutritional counselling for connective tissue disorders — and registered general osteopath, according to the receptionists at the dentist’s office next door.

Instead, there’s a sign at suite 205: “This office is closed until further notice.” The sign went up earlier this week after Robinson’s arrest for fraud and assault.

A peek inside Robinson’s darkened second-floor shingle reveals accolades on the walls.

A peek online shows even more kudos.

“Dr. R. uses a U.S. lab which provides the most comprehensive blood testing in the world, which in combination with his multiple other assessment techniques, gets quickly to the root cause of problems,” a patient wrote on RateMDs.com, where Robinson is ranked #18 out of 158 naturopaths in Toronto.

Also online, Robinson, 67, was listed as having an “educational standards” position with the General Osteopathic Council of Ontario and as a senior professor and clinical supervisor at New Earth College, which offers certificate and diploma programs in natural medicine. His profile there says he graduated from the European School of Osteopathy with honours and earned a masters in osteopathy from the University of Aberdeen.

The council couldn’t be reached for comment, but New Earth College founder Dr. June Kelly denies Robinson ever taught a class.

“I haven’t heard from him in a year and a half. The last thing I heard was he was fighting brain cancer. We haven’t run a program in a long time...he put in an application to teach, but he never turned up,” Kelly said Friday, before abruptly hanging up.

The College of Naturopaths of Ontario couldn’t be reached for comment.

A male voice on Robinson’s answering machine says: “I’m sorry to announce our office is closed until further notice. Thank you for your patronage. I apologize for this. Thank you so much.”

— JENNY YUEN

jenny.yuen@sunmedia.ca