TACOMA, Wash. - To many of his patients, Dr. Antoine Johnson is a hero who serves the poor.
He is not charged with any crime, but he's been the target of a two-year federal investigation.
Federal agents raided Johnson's four offices and his home Wednesday and carried off hundreds of boxes, including the charts for the clinic's 6,000 patients. They want to know more about his billing practices and the prescriptions he writes.
"I may not appear shocked," Johnson said. "I was shocked then, but for me it's just another in a series of what I view as harassment."
A 52-page search warrant unsealed late Friday says patients knew Johnson as "candy man," an easy touch for drug seeking addicts. He rarely examined his patients, according to several former employees and patients. And he's accused of Medicaid and Medicare billing fraud.
"I'm just here to say the information they provided to the court was founded on misinformation, hearsay and opinion," Johnson said.
Johnson's staff was seeing patients again Friday at his four family practice offices, including offices in Tacoma and Lakewood.
"That's why I'm holding my head up now," Johnson said. "We have not committed any crimes."
Johnson family clinics are located in low-income and under-served neighborhoods. Some of his patients watched federal agents.
"He's an honorable man and they're just trying to attack him," patient Velma Stewart said.
"They're trying to embarrass that doctor and degrade him," Phyllis Gordon said.
But Johnson has had many clashes with the medical community. His privileges were revoked when he was accused of over-prescribing and patient abandonment at Grays Harbor Community Hospital.
A judge dismissed two discrimination claims Johnson filed against Grays Harbor and another hospital.
KING 5 News reporter Chris Ingalls asked Johnson: "Why are all these agencies and people doing this to you?"
Johnson said: "Look at me. I'm black. I believe they're doing this because I'm a young successful black man."
Both hospitals, as well as a spokesperson for federal law enforcement, say race has nothing with their actions against Johnson.
He has not been charged in this investigation.
