Millionaire medical entrepreneur James Liang guilty of revenge porn

High-profile businessman James Liang, who threatened to leak a nude photograph of a woman to her government workplace, is still a registered medical practitioner.

High-profile medical entrepreneur James Liang, left, and a silhouette of his victim.

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A high-profile millionaire medical entrepreneur who threatened to leak an intimate photograph of a woman to her government workplace is still a registered medical practitioner.

Myhealth Medical Group founder James Liang was fined $1200 and sentenced to a 12-month bond after threatening to release a nude photograph to the workplace “and public” of his 31-year-old victim last year.

The 49-year old is the director of over a dozen medical businesses, including nationwide home-doctor service 13Sick, but is now facing calls to have his medical practitioners registration revoked after pleading guilty to the charge of threatening to distribute an intimate image of a person.

Despite the offence carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of one year, Liang – who is also a director of the Primary Care Business Council – was dealt with by way of a good behaviour bond and not convicted.

The self described “public figure”, who has been registered under the specialty of General Practice since January 2000, does not have reprimands, conditions or undertakings listed on his Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency registration.

Liang, who in 2016 reportedly sold a 55 per cent stake in Myhealth to Crescent Capital Partners for $30m, is still subject to the Victorian magistrates court bond imposed upon him after he threatened to send a nude image to the workplace and to “the public” of his victim in March 2023.

His victim, who has asked not to be identified, believes his medical practising certificate should be revoked due to the nature of the charges.

James Liang.

“The certificate gives him an element of trust, someone like that shouldn’t use this qualification to earn trust,” she said.

“How could people rely on him for the most important thing in life – health?

“Even though it’s been so long, when I think about it, it still makes me distressed and shocked about what he did.

“When he made that threat to send the photos, I was very scared, felt very hopeless and shamed, I realise a person like him could do anything, including sharing all those photos.”“When he made that threat to send the photos, I was very scared, felt very hopeless and shamed, I realise a person like him could do anything, including sharing all those photos.”

Any registered health practitioner is required to notify the Ahpra National Board if they have been charged with an offence carrying a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment or more, and if they were found guilty, regardless of conviction, within seven days. Failing to do so is not an offence, “but may constitute behaviour for which health, conduct or performance action may be taken”.

The matter then goes to the Medical Council of NSW to investigate and discipline medical practitioners. If a finding is made against a practitioner, the Medical Council of NSW is required to notify the national regulator, AHPRA, of any conditions on the doctor’s registration.

Neither NSW Health Care Complaints Commission nor the Medical Council of NSW answered questions as to whether Liang had notified them of when he was charged or when he pleaded guilty.

When first contacted by police last year he declined to be interviewed. Prosecutors initially considered Liang being given a ‘diversion’ for his offending, instead of a criminal charge, which the victim opposed to.

“His conduct was not low-level. What he did is a fraudulent misrepresentation, induced me to trust him and send him my private pictures, then use those pictures to threat and humiliate me,” the victim claimed when she wrote back to police.

According to correspondence between Liang and his victim, who he met online, Liang would send screenshots of his bank account, in what she believes was his way of “seducing” her.

The Australian has seen further messages sent from Liang’s phone number, where he claimed he had received a phone call from a Google executive.

“Sorry had to take a call from head of Google of Australia (sic) and pacific region,” he wrote.

Liang also sent screenshots of what appeared to be a NAB trade account with a share portfolio worth $6m, and a Commonwealth bank account with a balance of $1.87m.

Liang did not respond to requests for comment.