A man barred from providing health services in NSW continues to run counselling clinics in Sydney, Melbourne and the UK despite having no formal qualifications and a conviction for fraud.
The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission issued a statement on Wednesday warning it is “not safe to receive any counselling or health services from Mr David Kaye” after members of the public tipped them off to his involvement with a Sydney-based clinic.
Ali Davut Sarikaya, who also goes by the name David Kaye, pictured in 1993.Credit: Sebastian Constanzo
Kaye, whose real name is Ali Davut Sarikaya, was banned from providing health services in 2018 after an investigation by the commission found he had persistently misrepresented his educational and professional qualifications, was not qualified to provide counselling services, practised in an unsafe and unethical manner, and ultimately posed a risk to the health and safety of the public.
On Thursday, Sarikaya told this masthead the public warning issued by the commission was part of a “racially motivated character assassination campaign” against him due to his Turkish heritage.
Ali Davut Sarikaya who also goes by the name David Kaye.Credit: Facebook
Sarikaya has been calling himself Dr David Kaye since 1997, when he was convicted of obtaining money by deception from the Victorian WorkCover authority.
Sarikaya’s business, called The PTSD Clinic, has its main address at an office space in Sydney’s CBD, but counselling services are mostly arranged and delivered via internet and phone, the commission said.
“It is possible that Mr Kaye is involved in providing these services,” the commission’s warning said.
Sarikaya denied he was breaching the terms of his prohibition order, telling this masthead he only provided screening assessments of potential clients, and contractor psychologists provided the treatment.
“I’m a law-abiding citizen, I’m not just going to go and flagrantly violate the prohibition order,” he said.
According to its website, the PTSD clinic provides assessment and treatment for issues including post-traumatic stress disorder, careers counselling, conflict resolution, marriage counselling, and “pathological addictions” including gambling and sex addiction.
It also claims to have a medico-legal arm “which may be useful to patients seeking an objective [and] independent assessment” of personal injury, WorkCover, ComCare, family law and criminal forensic claims.
Sarikaya’s social media profile lists him as living in London and working as a “consultant psychologist” at Online Therapy Clinic UK.
The website lists his real name alongside the acronyms MBPsS and MAPA, denoting membership of the British Psychological Society and the American Psychological Association respectively. The clinic offers a range of services including psychoanalytic therapy, coaching, “transactional analysis” and cognitive behavioural therapy.
Sarikaya confirmed he had “a base in Melbourne, a base in Sydney and a practice in London” but did not actually own any of the clinics. He said they were owned by a company called Karmacan Pty Ltd, of which he is a director.
The business is registered in Erina on the NSW Central Coast, ASIC records show.
Sarikaya has had repeated run-ins with law enforcement and regulators in NSW and Victoria.
Following his 1997 conviction in Victoria, He was declared bankrupt after he refused to pay the $24,290 judgment debt and costs of $6042.
In 2009, NSW Police raided his home and uncovered evidence revealing his PhD had been purchased from the American College of Metaphysical Theology for $249.95.
He was hit with dozens of charges between 2009 and 2011, including for fraudulently using the title of “Dr”. All charges were later dropped.
Sarikaya said he was currently trying to secure a supervisor for a PhD in medicine at the University of Sydney, providing a copy of his thesis proposal on the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy and placebo to treat PTSD.
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