Disease Or Deception

LOS ANGELES -- Hundreds, perhaps thousands of people in Los Angeles and around the world may think they're suffering from a potentially fatal disease, but does this disease even exist?

"A lot of the time I spent all day in bed in excruciating pain," said Susan Peters.

The pain in Susan Peters' life began 10 years ago. She thought she had chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS. Looking for answers, she went to the University of Southern California and met with Dr. W. John Martin, a scientist who claimed to have discovered a new virus.

"He took a blood sample of mine and couple of days later came back and said I was positive for his so-called 'stealth virus,'" said Peters.

"A stealth virus is a virus that has lost the components that the immune system would recognize," Martin told NBC4 in a report NBC4 did in 1994.

Antoinette Grewal says Martin diagnosed her with the new virus, too. Martin told her, "You have it. It's fatal. I'm so sorry to tell you about it," said Grewal.

"I think I was in shock for several days. I can't even explain. For a time I was just laying on the floor in a fetal position. I was devastated, just devastated," said Grewal.

Grewal and Peters say Martin told them he knew exactly what was making them ill, and he said he was working on a cure.

"He said he needed enormous amounts of money donated to continue his research," said Peters, who says she gave Martin approximately $100,000.

Grewal claims she raised even more money. She says that between 1993 and 1999 she gave several hundred thousand dollars.

And it wasn't just individuals giving money. Team Four Reports has learned one nonprofit looking for the cause of dhronic fatigue syndrome says it gave Martin $231,000 in research money.

In NBC4's 1994 report, we visited Martin at his USC lab. Martin told us then he was working on the cure.

"To develop the treatment that can irradiate the virus. At least in test tubes we can achieve that," said Martin.

Peters also appeared with Martin in that 1994 report. Martin worked hard at promoting his theory by lecturing, publishing in medical journals, and through his Web site. After seeing Martin's credentials, people opened their doors.

Dr. Shirley Fannin heads the disease control unit of the Los Angeles County Health Department.

"He introduced himself as a researcher at County USC," said Fannin.

But Martin's testing wasn't limited to just humans. He also tested Grewal's Chihuahua, Minnie. Martin confirmed in a letter Grewal and Minnie had the stealth virus, and he claimed to have reported it to the County Health Department. But, according to Fannin, the County Health Department never looked at any samples or anything related to the Martin stealth virus.

That is where it all seemed to start to unravel. Around 1995, Martin's lab at USC closed. Martin says his work was too controversial. USC refuses to tell us why the lab was closed, citing pending litigation. All USC will confirm is that Martin is still a tenured professor there.

In 1999, Peters was hospitalized. That's when she heard the words that changed her life -- again.

"That pathologist came back to me and said, 'Susan, you do not have the stealth virus,'" said Peters.

So what is this "stealth virus?" Team 4 Reports went to one of the premier research institutions in the United States for answers. Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta tell us it's unlikely anyone has the stealth virus because they say they haven't seen any proof the virus even exists.

"There's no such virus that's been validated, or shown to be true," said Dr. Brain Mahi of the CDC.

Peters now says she's confident she never had the Martin stealth virus. But what did she have? Peters says it was lyme disease, but for years she went without antibiotics because she was convinced she had the Martin stealth virus. After all, she says, Martin told her blood tests confirmed it.

Last August, after an inspection of Martin's practices, the government shut down his lab because of "immediate jeopardy" and ordered him to "cease and desist." Team Four Reports has learned Martin's federal lab certificate was suspended and his state license was revoked. The reports cite dozens of violations, including failure to maintain records and throwing out blood samples. The CDC says Martin's actions border on fraudulent activity

"He tested at least 650 patients a year according to federal records, 1,000 people a year according to state records ... I think it's quite dangerous if he's actually seeing that many patients," said Mahi.

Last summer, health officials ordered Martin to stop testing patients. But, as recently as a few weeks ago, on his Web site, he was still offering to test your blood for the stealth virus at $250 a pop at his Rosemead office.

So, we decided to pay Martin a visit. But each time we went, the lab was closed. So we went to Martin's home in South Pasadena.

"Good morning Dr. Martin, we've been trying to reach you. Could we please talk with you?" said NBC4 reporter Vikki Vargas.

Martin ran away from us so fast, that he ran right out of his sandals and left his Birkenstocks in the driveway.

NBC4 gave Martin numerous chances to speak on the record. In the only conversation NBC4 had with him by phone, he continued to claim his virus exists, and he said, "The government is trying to suppress my work."

The CDC says it has asked for a blood sample with the virus. Even Martin admits he has never sent the CDC proof in a test tube.

Peters sued Martin, but was unsuccessful. In the lawsuit, Martin argued there was no doctor-patient relationship between him and Peters, and that her claims were filed too late because of the statute of limitations. Grewal is suing Martin and USC for fraud in Los Angeles Superior Court. Her case is pending.