Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Associated Press - November 15, 2006
Lucas L. Johnson II
The Tennessee attorney general's office sought the injunction against Oludare Samuel Olomoshua, saying he's practicing medicine without a license and "making unsubstantiated claims about his products' ability to cure individuals of illnesses."
Olomoshua, a Nigerian immigrant who lives in Nashville, is president of Wisdomite Spiripathology Healing and Music Mission Inc., a group that advocates spiritual methods for healing over practices such as chemotherapy.
Under the order, Olomoshua must remove all claims of being able to cure terminal illnesses from his Web site, http://www.spiripathologyhealing.com. Those claims remained on the site Wednesday night.
The site included the claim, "100% perfect healing of cancer and HIV/AIDS is available now." Those interested in curing cancer were directed to the "First Class Terrible Disease Registration Page," where they were advised that it would cost $1,000 to $5,000 to receive "perfect healing from the terrible disease(s)."
Judge Barbara Haynes asked the attorney general's office to monitor the site and told the defendant to turn over patients' records to the state Department of Health.
"Virtually he is out of business in the state of Tennessee," Haynes said.
Olomoshua didn't attend the hearing. His attorney, Jefre Goldtrap, said he would consult with his client before taking more action.
"He has no interest in harming people. His interest is only in healing people from diseases," Goldtrap said after the hearing.
Goldtrap said his client wants to comply with Tennessee law, but questioned whether the state has jurisdiction over his client's Web site, which says Olomoshua's group is based in Nigeria.
"From a legal standpoint, jurisdictionally, who controls?" Goldtrap asked. "I don't know if we've answered that yet."
The state got involved after some consumers complained that they had tried Olomoshua's treatments but weren't healed.
"When a consumer is experiencing the pain of a life-threatening illness, oftentimes he or she is more likely to be influenced by these types of therapies," Mary Clement, director of Tennessee's Division of Consumer Affairs, said in a news release. "Aside from the physical trauma, consumers should never have to experience the emotional pain after discovering that the therapy they chose is indeed not substantiated."
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