Native of Mexico flees after 2nd arrest on charge of practicing medicine without a license in GilbertsHe claimed he could heal, then an angry husband turned him in — again
By Clifford Ward
April 1, 2009

After getting a visa to enter the U.S., Manuel Caravantes began a thriving medical practice in Kane County and bought a $350,000 home that he outfitted with a basement waiting room, examination area and pharmacy.

But authorities say Caravantes, 48, has no medical training. He has been charged twice with practicing medicine without a license after police were tipped off—in both instances—by an aggrieved husband who says his wife left him for Caravantes.

He was convicted on the first charge and deported in 2004. But he was allowed to re-enter the country after what federal officials said might have been a communications breakdown with local law enforcement agencies. Now Caravantes is wanted on an arrest warrant after he failed to appear in Kane County Circuit Court on the latest charge.

He was arrested by Elgin police in December after he allegedly told an undercover officer that he could diagnose blood clots in the brain by running his hands over the officer's head. The detective paid $30 to be treated by Caravantes in the basement of an Elgin home.



"It's lucky you came to see me," Caravantes reportedly told the detective.

Many of Caravantes' patients were illegal immigrants reluctant to contact authorities, said a Gilberts detective who worked on the investigation that led to the first arrest.

"They went to him because they didn't have any other options. He was preying on them," Detective Todd Block said. "He said he had the power to place his hands on people and make them well again."

Both arrests were prompted by tips from Rafael Nava, a Bartlett man who once was a friend but later became suspicious of Caravantes' activities.

In his first interview about his dealings with Caravantes, Nava said his sister paid more than $60,000 to Caravantes to treat her son after he was diagnosed with cancer. The nephew died of cancer, Nava said.

Caravantes persuaded Nava and his brother-in-law to co-sign for car and home loans before beginning an affair with Nava's wife, Josefa, that ended a 23-year marriage, Nava said. Caravantes was never charged in Illinois with any offenses other than practicing medicine without a license.

"He's a smart guy," Nava said. "He knows how to talk, how to convince people."

In 2003, Caravantes was living in Carpentersville and treating people in the basement of a house there, Nava said. Caravantes bought a house in a new subdivision in Gilberts with Nava's brother-in-law, who had sought treatment for foot trouble, co-signing on the loan. Nava co-signed on a $50,000 car loan.

"He didn't have any credit," Nava said. "He had plenty of money."

Suspecting his wife was having an affair with Caravantes, Nava said he began looking into the man. His daughter's middle school had kept a doctor's note from Caravantes excusing her from gym class after she had bruised her leg. School officials checked and learned Caravantes was not licensed to practice medicine.

Nava said he turned over the information to police, along with some penicillin pills Caravantes had given him for an earache.

Gilberts police obtained a warrant to search Caravantes' house and found the trappings of a medical practice, Block said.

"If you walked into the basement area, you would think you were walking into a real doctor's office," Block said. "There was a waiting room with chairs and magazines and a TV in the corner. It was nice."

But Caravantes' traditional medical training was "absolutely zero," Block said.

Caravantes' arrest solved one riddle for Gilberts police, who had fielded complaints from neighbors about people coming to and going from the house.

Caravantes pleaded guilty to practicing medicine without a license, and was placed on probation for 30 months. Soon after, he was deported to Mexico.

Rafael and Josefa Nava divorced. Caravantes divorced his wife in Mexico and married Josefa, Nava said.

Despite his record, federal Immigration records show that Caravantes legally re-entered the U.S. Gail Montenegro, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said records indicate Caravantes was deported not for his felony conviction, but because he had overstayed his visa.

Marilu Cabrera, a regional spokeswoman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a sister agency that processes visa applications, said she was barred by privacy laws from discussing individual cases. But she said it's possible federal officials were not aware of Caravantes' felony conviction.

Kane County State's Atty. John Barsanti said his office now contacts Immigration officials whenever prosecutors win a conviction of someone whom they suspect is not a citizen.

Last October, Rafael Nava learned that Caravantes was distributing fliers advertising his healing services to Elgin businesses that cater to Hispanics.

Disguising his voice, Nava called Caravantes and complained of terrible headaches. Caravantes directed him to a house in the 200 block of Franklin Street.

Nava contacted Elgin police. On Dec. 4, an undercover detective went to the house, telling Caravantes that he had been in a fight and was experiencing headaches. Caravantes told him that he was suffering from blood clots.

Police searched the residence three days later, and Caravantes again was charged with practicing medicine without a license. He was released on $20,000 bail.

His lawyer, William Gibbs, said he has since been unable to contact Caravantes and filed paperwork to withdraw from the case. Nava suspects he's back in Mexico.

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