Doctor accused of bribery

A plastic surgeon who was ordered last year to pay $20.5 million to the family of a young Delaware County woman who died after liposuction is now accused of trying to bribe a member of the State Board of Medicine.

If the board rules against Richard Glunk, he could lose his license to practice medicine, according to the complaint filed against him by the state Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs. The complaint is dated Sept. 11.

Glunk is accused of trying to bribe Rabbi Solomon Isaacson, a member of the medical board and a political insider, while he had a case before the board.

According to the complaint, Isaacson was preparing to hold a January 2007 fund-raiser for Bob Brady, then a Philadelphia mayoral candidate, at a Russian nightclub. He approached Gary Barbera, chairman of the State Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons, about making a campaign contribution.

Barbera said he had already given $5,000 but would try to get people to go to the fund-raiser. He then mentioned Glunk, whom he knew.

The car dealer said, "I only hooked the rabbi with Glunk because Glunk was in that arena," the complaint states.

After that conversation, the complaint states, Glunk went to the rabbi's synagogue, introduced himself, and mentioned he might be going before the medical board.

Glunk gave Isaacson a $5,000 check for the Brady campaign, the complaint states.

A few days later, the complaint alleges, Isaacson got another $5,000 check from Glunk, this one made out to the synagogue.

Isaacson said he mailed both checks back to Glunk.

According to the complaint, Glunk "gave the two checks, totaling $10,000, to Rabbi Isaacson knowing that he had a disciplinary case pending before the State Board of Medicine and knowing that Rabbi Isaacson was a sitting member of that board."

Glunk's attorney, Thomas Bergstrom, said his client would fight the allegations.

"There's no second check, and no one has seen it," Bergstrom said.

The State Board of Medicine had looked into complaints against Glunk stemming from the May 2001 death of Amy Fledderman, 18, a Pennsylvania State University freshman from Newtown Square. She died two days after the King of Prussia plastic surgeon performed liposuction on her. In May 2008, a Philadelphia jury awarded her parents $20.5 million for her death.

State records indicate Glunk renewed his medical license about five months later.

With Isaacson recusing himself, the State Board of Medicine took no action against Glunk in that case, and state spokeswoman Leslie Amoros said last night that the board had dismissed it.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office investigated but decided there was insufficient evidence of criminal negligence to seek a homicide charge.