03/28/2024

Dr. Jong Whan Kim

Spread the love

Update from Columbus County Sheriff’s Office as of 9:30 p.m. on Friday, June 29, 2018 READ MORE


Update as of 4:07 p.m. on Friday June 29, 2018:

A former Elizabethtown doctor with a history of reprimands has been arrested on charges he was operating an opioid distribution operation out of his Tabor city practice.

Jong Whan Kim, 72, and Tammy Thompson, 53, were arrested Friday on multiple felony charges. Thompson was the office manager and Kim’s reported girlfriend. The two were managing a large narcotics sales and distribution network in Columbus and Bladen counties, according to District Attorney Jon David.

In addition to the “pill mill”  out of Kim’s office, the pair used several homes in Columbus and Bladen to distribute narcotics and marijuana. Sheriff Lewis Hatcher said the duo were identified by multiple complaints from citizens starting in January.

Kim was charged with multiple counts of unlawfully prescribing oxycodone without legitimate medical reasons; maintaining a dwelling for drug activities; conspiracy to sell marijuana; trafficking opiates; and conspiracy to traffic opiates. Kim was transported to Columbus Regional HealthSource while being processed at the sheriff’s office Friday afternoon, and his bond is still pending. His address was listed as 8100 Twisted Hickory Rd., Bladenboro.

Thompson was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to sell and deliver marijuana; sale of marijuana; conspiracy to traffic opiates and trafficking opiates; maintaining a vehicle and a dwelling for drug activities; possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana; and sale and delivery of marijuana. Her address was listed as 2921 N.C. 410, Bladenboro.

The pair were arrested Friday morning and Kim’s medical office in Tabor City raided by deputies, narcotics officers and Tabor City Police around the same time.

Bond and booking information was not immediately available for either suspect. A first appearance is set for Monday in Columbus County Superior Court.

Kim did not contest a 2013 reprimand from the N.C. Medical Board in which he was accused of having improper relations with a patient.

Previous article: 


 

Columbus County law enforcement officials have shut down what they are calling a “pill mill”  scheme. The Tabor City Clinic of Dr. Jong Whan Kim located at 211 East Fifth Street was  raided on Friday and patients were escorted off the premises.

According to reports, Columbus County Sheriff Lewis Hatcher said officials received several complaints from citizens in January. During the course of the investigation officials learned Dr. Kim had schemed with Tammy Lynn Johnson to distribute medications from Dr. Kim’s clinic and from other properties owned by Dr. Kim. Law enforcement also learned during the investigation Dr. Kim was overprescribing medication for his patients.

The clinic was raided on Friday by SWAT and Vice-Narcotics members. According to reports, Kim is facing more than a dozen charges and Thompson also faces more than 20 felony charges.

According to information on file with the NC Medical Board, Dr. Kim has also held medical  licenses in Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The North Carolina Medical Board entered a consent order against Dr. Kim in March 2013 for having an inappropriate relationship with a patient.

“On February 20, 2012, the Board received a complaint against Dr. Kim claiming that he had an inappropriate relationship with Patient A. At the time of the complaint, Dr. Kim had been treating Patient A for approximately four years for conditions that included pain, depression, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

As a result of that action, Dr. Kim was also reprimanded by the State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and that department placed conditions on his medical license in Wisconsin.

Previous Story

The office of a Tabor City medical doctor, who formerly practiced geriatric medicine in Elizabethtown, was raided on Friday.

According to reports, the office of Dr. Jong Whan Kim was raided by SWAT and narcotics team members as part of North Carolina’s efforts to stem the growing opioid crisis. Patients who were in the clinic at the time of the raid were escorted off the premises.

According to information on file with the NC Medical Board, Dr. Kim has also held medical  licenses in Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The North Carolina Medical Board entered a consent order against Dr. Kim in March 2013 for having an inappropriate relationship with a patient.

“On February 20, 2012, the Board received a complaint against Dr. Kim claiming that he had an inappropriate relationship with Patient A. At the time of the complaint, Dr. Kim had been treating Patient A for approximately four years for conditions that included pain, depression, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

As a result of that action, Dr. Kim was also reprimanded by the State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and that department placed conditions on his medical license in Wisconsin.

BladenOnline.com will bring you more details as we obtain them.

READ UPDATED ARTICLE: 

https://bladencounty.org/doctor-and-his-girlfriend-arrested-for-pill-mill/

About Author