Former West Seneca cosmetic surgeon Anthony Pignataro has responded to a 7 Eyewitness News investigation that looked into whether he was advertising himself as a doctor despite being stripped of his medical license two decades ago.
See original investigation here: Deceitful Doctor. Accused killer. New Identity?
Pignataro, in a phone interview with 7 Eyewitness News, read from the following statement:
"I make this statement of my own free will because this is way too painful. It's been a long time and I can't go through this again...and it's been way too painful for many people, and for that I want to offer my most sincere apologies. Mostly to my ex-wife, my children and my grand-children. Also all of my ex-patient, my landlord and neighbors, but mostly the Smith family. Everybody is hurt by this. That's why I changed my name. I needed to move on. And I did not want this, I promise you that. With total and profound sincerity, and I tell you honestly...I'm simply selling skin-care products to try to start over. I deserve a chance to start over. That's why I changed my name."
Pignataro added, "I'm awaiting a patent on a skin-care system, which yes, uses plasma. The entire system is intended to be over-the-counter and used by consumers in their home and has nothing to do with the practice of medicine. If the Department of Education determines that it's stretching that boundary, then I will gladly and immediately shut it down. I am more than happy to work with the Department of Education to determine if I stretched that boundary. I have not gone back into practice. I have not seen patients here. There have not been surgical deliveries here. I've had containers for my skin-care products, moisturizers, and so forth, delivered and that's it."
He continued, "I'm working very hard. I'm trying to get ahead. I'm a delivery driver now, and this e-commerce thing that you're reporting on was simply an idea that came to me, and I hope it's not a crime that someone's paid his debt and deserves a chance to start over. It's been 20 years and I would ask you, Charlie, as a reporter, whether you might approach the DA to ask whether there's anything untoward here. I did not intend that, and again, I repeat, I apologize on my knees to my ex-wife, my children, my grand-children, my ex-patients, the Smith family, my landlord, the neighbors. I did not want this."
