A criminal must possess a certain mindset to be willing to offer false cures and fake procedures to profit from those in poor health or fighting cancer. Using the ill-gotten gains to purchase weapons with the intent to kill people “without any sense of remorse” suggests a level of depravity beyond the pale. With an Arizona couple entering guilty pleas for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a Pennsylvania federal court on December 29, 2025, another gun-related tragedy may well have been avoided.
Fred Blakley and Mary Blakley, of Lake Havasu City, spent almost two decades deceiving patients and selling them fraudulent treatments at their “medical clinics” in California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada, all states in which they did not possess medical licenses. Promising “full body scans” and miracle cures, they used ultrasound machines and animal deworming drugs on their unsuspecting scam victims. Fred also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
After swindling over $2 million from sick and dying victims for close to two decades, the Blakleys’ long run of lying to desperate patients appears to be over. Janmarie Lanzo, one of their business associates, pled guilty to a single count of conspiracy to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and defraud the FDA earlier in December. She faces up to five years in a federal prison. For some of those who were rooked by “Doctor Mary” and her deceptive health screenings, any sense of justice must feel like it’s arrived far too late.
Did It Also Do Oil Changes?
Blakley clinics began popping up in 2006, fronted by “Dr. Mary,” who falsely claimed to have earned a Ph.D. from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. They offered their victims a non-invasive “full body scan” that, among other services, promised to conduct colonoscopies, locate cancer cells, identify toxins in the brain and the heart, and analyze the body’s immune system levels. In reality, they used a dressed-up ultrasound machine with fictitious “smart chip technology” that was “invented” by the fraudulent Doctor Mary. The Blakleys attempted to provide cover for themselves by claiming to be “doing research” and using terms like “bad cells” instead of “cancer.”
The Blakleys would charge $300 for their “treatments,” payable in cash or check only, presumably to avoid health insurance companies and the investigators who would almost certainly follow up on any claims filed. Once their scan “diagnosed” the victim’s problem, they would offer “treatments” for additional fees. This included giving fenbendazole, an animal dewormer not intended for human consumption, or Aetheion, a cosmetic cream, as a cancer treatment. They also “prescribed” vitamin supplements to treat cardiovascular disease. In addition, they sent their “cures” via the U.S. mail to other victims.
Prevention of an Insurrection?
In addition to the fraud charges, Fred faces federal gun possession charges, having amassed a collection of over 35 weapons and 30,000 rounds of ammunition for an anticipated war with the government. As felons with federal convictions in 1997 for methamphetamine manufacturing, both Fred and Mary are prohibited from possessing firearms. The Blakleys fled during pretrial release before being recaptured, ultimately serving close to five years after being convicted.
That didn’t prevent Fred from amassing, modifying, and selling a large stockpile of guns and ammunition before the two were finally arrested and charged. In recordings made by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) undercover agents, Fred predicted an upcoming civil war against the U.S. government in which he was “planning on shooting some humans.” He also expressed his desire to kill Democrats “without remorse,” and claimed he would etch a “D” into each bullet casing. Mary was also caught on tape by FBI agents acknowledging she was aware that Fred was “arming America.”
The Blakleys may find themselves spending the rest of their lives in prison after their sentencing scheduled for April 2026. Mary, who is 76, faces a maximum of 25 years, while the 61-year-old Fred could receive up to 40 years for his offenses. Fred will perhaps be reluctant to mention his intent to shoot people and overthrow the government at any of his future parole hearings.
Related Resources
- Jury Finds Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Guilty on Four of Eleven Charges (FindLaw’s Practice of Law)
- Wire Fraud (FindLaw’s Criminal Charges)
- Coming Down With a Bad Case of Fraud (FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life)
