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NYPD says unlicensed doc has been charged with murder in 27-year-old patient death
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Oct 7, 2026
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Christopher Le via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Oct 7, 2026
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The unlicensed Bronx doctor who said he “made a very big mistake” after his 27-year-old patient died during an anti-aging treatment has now been charged with "depraved indifference murder" according to police — a legal classification that suggests that he did not care whether his patient lived or died.
Luis Rojas Cabrera, 56, was arrested in July days after the death of Elizabeth Baron, who immediately became unconscious after receiving an intravenous infusion of a chemical known as NAD+ at Cabrera’s holistic medicine clinic in Kingsbridge. NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a molecule that regulates energy production, DNA repair and cellular metabolism. It is used in some anti-aging treatments despite limited studies on its safety and effectiveness.
Cabrera allegedly administered it without the required prescription from a licensed medical professional in New York state, according to the criminal complaint. At the time, he was charged with reckless endangerment and unauthorized practice of a profession.
Last month, the city’s Chief Medical Examiner ruled Baron’s death a homicide after determining that she went into cardiac arrest after an air bubble became trapped in her IV catheter.
Cabrera’s attorney, Donald H. Vogelman, said in a statement at the time that the homicide ruling didn’t necessarily mean Baron was murdered intentionally.
The upgraded charge still does not imply that Baron’s death was deliberate, but instead suggests that Cabrera displayed a “total indifference to whether life is lost,” according to the New York penal code. Cabrera could face 15 years to life in prison if convicted.
Reached by phone early Wednesday, Vogelman called the new charge “outrageous.”
“The law is clear that the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not care whether the patient lived or died,” he said. “The fact that Mr. Cabrera called 911 and performed CPR shows he did care, and that this was an unfortunate accident.”
Cabrera was the founder and owner of the Bereshit Lifestyle Center, a holistic clinic where he claimed to specialize in “natural methods” and “simple therapies.” On the center’s website, he claimed to have performed more than 6,000 surgeries in the Dominican Republic, including thyroid, abdominal, bariatric, oncological, and head and neck procedures.
According to a criminal complaint, Cabrera told police Baron went unconscious “immediately” after he hooked an IV up to her right hand. He then said he called 911 and told police he does not have a license to practice in New York, according to a transcript included in the complaint.
“I am a doctor in the Dominican Republic,” the complaint quotes him saying. “I made a very big mistake. I need to call my family because I have a feeling I will not be home for a while.”
Cabrera was arraigned on the upgraded charges in Bronx Supreme Court on Tuesday, where a judge set bail at $2 million. Cabrera’s prior charges were not bail eligible.
He is currently being held in jail on Rikers Island, according to his attorney.
Tagged
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health
public safety
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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