Jaqlyn Tinaro saw patients at Virtue of Health clinic on Clark Road
A Sarasota County woman has been arrested and charged with four felony counts of Unlicensed Practice of a Healthcare Professional, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has reported.
Jaqlyn Jacobs Tinaro, 29, of 5649 Old Ranch Road, in the eastern part of the county, was released from the Sarasota County Jail on $40,000 bond on the same day she was arrested — June 28, the Corrections Division records show.
Her arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 25.
Often referred to as Dr. Jaqlyn, a Sheriff’s Office news release says, Tinaro saw patients at the Virtue of Health medical office, which is located at 4161 Clark Road. Tinaro “was known for what she called live blood analysis, “ during which she pricked a patient’s finger and then projected on a monitor an enlargement of a slide with the blood “to analyze the blood cells for diagnostic purposes” and to enable her to prescribe treatments and medications, the release adds.
Dr. Arthur Hodge, who was listed as the medical director of the clinic, told Sheriff’s Office investigators during an interview “that he did not know if Tinaro was licensed in Florida … [and] stated that he rarely reviewed patient records and knew little about the medications being prescribed at Virtue of Health,” Tinaro’s Probable Cause Affidavit says. However, the affidavit adds, “Dr. Hodge acknowledged that medications were ordered under his name …” He described them as “ ‘IV’s and vitamins,’ ” the affidavit continues.
None of the victims saw or were examined by Hodge when they were being treated by Tinaro, the affidavit notes. They also told Sheriff’s Office investigators that he was not in the room when they were undergoing treatment.
On its website, the Virtue of Health clinic lists a number of “conditions we can help with.” Among them are hormone support for men and women, fertility and family planning, infertility, digestive disturbance, cognitive imbalances, pain management, immune support, alternative care, environmental toxicity, inflammation and high histamine intolerance, mental health, skin disorders, auto-immune disease, weight and blood sugar management, cardiovascular health — including angina and congestive heart disease — and neurological problems, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and neuropathy.
The website further points out that its “memberships” were priced at $250 and $495, with a monthly membership of $225 available. The latter enabled a patient to get 10% off all supplements and 10% off “IV treatments & Vitamin injections, with one monthly visit included and 10% off additional visits.
The Probable Cause Affidavit points out that a law enforcement search of Florida Department of Health records “found no licenses for any profession for ‘Jaqlyn Jacobs’ (the name the woman also used professionally, as noted in the news release) or ‘Jaqlyn Tinaro.’ ”
Yet, the release says, “Tinaro represented herself as a Medical Doctor, always wearing a white lab coat monogrammed ‘Dr. Jaqlyn Jacobs.’ ” The release adds, “Her patients believed her to be a licensed Medical Doctor.”
The Virtue of Health website provides a photo of Tinaro, wearing a white medical lab coat and includes a biography identifying her as an NMD, “understood to mean ‘Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine,’ ” the release points out.
A variety of ‘therapies’
The affidavit explains that four “current and former patients” of Virtue of Health talked with Sheriff’s Office investigators about their experiences at the clinic. They “described several similar medical procedures” to which Tinaro asked them to submit, including the “live blood analysis” and “ozone IV therapy,” during which a nurse would draw blood from the patient and then mix it with “ozone gas” before reintroducing the blood into the patient via IV, the affidavit says.
One patient reported to investigators that Tinaro performed numerous “live blood analysis” sessions on the patient before ordering an abdominal CT scan, blood tests, an EKG, and tick and Lyme disease testing. “Tinaro ‘diagnosed’ [that patient] as having a twisted alignment, ‘clogged liver,’ several different types of parasites, cells that were ‘clumped together,’ high/low thyroid numbers, digestion issues, low immunity, heavy metals and low cell counts,” the affidavit points out.
To treat the conditions, the affidavit continues, Tinaro “prescribed numerous sessions of Ozone IV therapy, IV iron infusions, custom IV, Organic Acid testing, Vitamins and prescription medication for parasites, thyroid and peptides.”
A second patient told the investigators that Tinaro introduced herself as “Dr. Jaqlyn” and wore a white medical lab coat. After completing the “live blood analysis” on that patient, the affidavit adds, Tinaro diagnosed that patient “with severe heavy metals, moderate inflammation, leaky gut, systematic yeast and bacteria.” Further, it says, “Tinaro physically examined [the patient’s] neck area and diagnosed [the patient] with ‘swollen glands’ and suggested [the patient might] have Lyme disease and should be tested.” Then “Tinaro ordered heavy metal IV’s and testing and a Lyme disease test costing $900.00.”
A third patient told investigators that, after a live blood analysis, Tinaro had diagnosed that patient with “Pathogenic bacteria, Protozoa infection, leaky gut, low cell oxygenation” and having “oddly shaped cells,” among other problems. Further, the affidavit says, Tinaro said the patient might have a “ ‘gene mutation.’ ”
The fourth patient reported having spent “several thousand dollars in a 3 month period,” the affidavit adds.
Property and court records
A Sarasota News Leader check of records of the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office found that Tinaro was listed with David Hammersley as co-owners of the single-family home standing at 5649 Old Ranch Road, in the Myakka Valley Ranches subdivision. The records show that they purchased the house in late July 2021 for $640,000. Last year, the “just,” or, market, value of the property was put at $573,700.
A search of the records of the Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller found that in early August 2021, Tinaro and Hammersley, who were listed as unmarried, took out a $512,000, 30-year mortgage with First Centennial Mortgage Corp. in Aurora, Illinois.
Hammersley’s LinkedIn account says he is the principal of TBCI Design, which formerly was called Theodore Barber & Company. TBCI Design is located in St. Petersburg, its website says. Its staff has more than 100 years “of collective experience in the commercial food service industry,” the website adds.
During a review of 12th Judicial Circuit Court records, the News Leader found eight traffic violations with which Tinaro had been charged since February 2013. They included two citations for failing to stop at red lights; one count of Unknowingly Operating Vehicle While Driver’s License Suspended/Canceled/Revoked; one count of Careless Driving; one count of Proof of Insurance Required; and two counts of Unlawful Speed.
Additionally, in November 2018, the First National Bank of Omaha sued Tinaro for failing to pay the $8,859.29 balance on a credit card, the court records show. In May of that year, a document says, Tinaro had agreed to pay the amount.
That docket includes a Motion to Stay the case, which the First National Bank of Omaha filed on Aug. 1, 2019. That motion said, “[A] Suggestion of Bankruptcy has been filed in this case.”
That stay was granted.
The Virtue of Health website has a 2014 copyright.