MORRIS COUNTY — A Morris County neurologist has been temporarily suspended after allegedly violating strict conditions imposed by the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
Jonathan Fellus, a neurologist primarily practicing in Randolph, was suspended on Wednesday, and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs has begun proceedings to revoke his medical license for a second time.
State officials said Fellus violated a prior order that prohibited him from treating female patients without a chaperone present. The order was put in place after his license was reinstated following earlier disciplinary action.
According to authorities, in 2008 and 2009 Fellus engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient who was described as mildly brain-damaged. While he was never criminally charged, he was found liable in a civil medical malpractice lawsuit and ultimately lost his medical license in 2014.
Four years later, the Board of Medical Examiners agreed to reinstate his license under strict conditions. Those conditions required that any treatment of female patients be conducted only with a chaperone present and included a ban on any social contact with female patients. The restrictions were imposed to prevent future misconduct and protect the public.
The Division of Consumer Affairs later learned that Fellus allegedly misrepresented the patients he was seeing in order to evade the chaperone requirement. Officials further stated that he contacted female patients and attempted to discourage them from cooperating with investigators reviewing the matter.
As a result of the suspension, Fellus is now prohibited from treating any New Jersey residents, whether in-state or out-of-state. He is also barred from charging, receiving, or sharing in any professional fees until the case is resolved following a trial.
“This doctor’s alleged conduct, if proven, demonstrates an utter contempt for the Board’s authority and a disregard for patient safety that will not be tolerated,” said Jeremy E. Hollander, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Temporarily removing him from practice until this matter is resolved is necessary to protect the public.”
The allegations remain under review, and the disciplinary proceedings are ongoing.
