Neighbor says many people waited outside DC apartment to have blood drawn for money
WASHINGTON - They were lined up outside a D.C. apartment being paid to have their blood drawn. But according to police, the man who was collecting it was practicing medicine without a license.
It allegedly all happened at a building on P Street in Southwest D.C. earlier this week. One neighbor who witnessed a lot of what happened said she thought it was very suspicious.
"I noticed that people were outdoors a long time, but what was most concerning was the following day - there was an increase in the number of people outside," she said. "There were people who were in wheelchairs, there were also young people out here. I would say people up to the age of probably 55 or 60 just kind of sitting around waiting for their turn, and then I decided to ask another person in the neighborhood what was going on. And then that is when they said that someone was drawing their blood and the participants were also inhaling something."
She added, "I heard they were not sure what they were inhaling. However, it was said that a few people looked like they were really out of it. Really high, really drugged."
Khoa Hoang Nguyen was arrested and charged with practicing registered nursing without a license. Court documents say he was paying people $30 to draw their blood.
The documents also say he claimed he was working for a company called Boston Biosource. Their website says they draw specimens for medical research. We called and emailed them, but have not heard back. Police records indicate investigators also tried contacting this company, but were unable to reach them.
Nguyen has another court appearance scheduled for next month.