“..recognizes those who demonstrate both academic excellence
This collection of writings centers on Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.’s stance against perceived medical injustice and algorithmic bias, particularly affecting Black healthcare professionals.
The fraternity, with a long history of civil rights advocacy and a strong presence in the medical field, argues that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) are systematically targeting successful Black healthcare providers.
The authors highlight the fraternity’s historical commitment to social justice and its current advocacy for members facing scrutiny from agencies like the DEA and DOJ, often involving allegedly flawed artificial intelligence systems used to identify fraud.
Several specific cases of physicians and a pharmacist, all Alpha Phi Alpha members, are presented as examples of individuals who were unfairly targeted and criminalized.
The text accuses AI platforms, such as Peter Thiel’s Palantir Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics, and a particular system developed by Dr. Timothy King, of criminalizing medical practices by misinterpreting data and disregarding context, leading to wrongful prosecutions and a “hyperreality” where simulations replace truth.
It features several Alpha Phi Alpha members, including Dr. David Lewis, Dr. Michael Jones, Dr. Gregory Belcher, and the late Louis Ladson, who have faced legal challenges, showcasing the personal impact of these biased systems.
“..the medium becomes the message and the message is guilt..”
The pieces argue that these systems lack transparency and disregard human context and moral agency, ultimately contributing to healthcare disparities and the dehumanization of those accused.
This article presents a strong indictment of the current application of AI in healthcare fraud detection by US government agencies and private insurers, viewing it as a tool of systemic injustice that disproportionately targets successful African American healthcare professionals. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity is positioned as a key organization fighting against this “medical injustice and AI bias,” drawing upon its historical legacy of civil rights advocacy and the expertise of its members.
The document calls for increased transparency, a reconsideration of the role of human judgment and context in legal proceedings, and a commitment to addressing the root causes of these disparities. Most importantly, there is a need for continued action and a new approach from organizations of the Divine Nine Fraternities and Sororities to address these systemic issues.
“..and a commitment to correcting the educational, economic, political, and social injustices faced by African Americans..”
We cherish thy precepts, Thy banner shall be raised,
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-American men, was founded in 1906 at Cornell University. Since then, the fraternity has had over 300,000 members.
The fraternity addresses social issues such as apartheid, AIDS, urban housing, and other economic, cultural, and political issues of interest to people of color and recognizes those who demonstrate both academic excellence and a commitment to correcting the educational, economic, political, and social injustices faced by African Americans.
Alpha Phi Alpha was directly responsible for the conception, funding, and construction of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial next to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha have long stood at the forefront of the African- American community’s fight for civil rights through leading members such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Jesse Owens.
THE JEWELS
The seven visionary founders, known as the “Jewels” of the fraternity, are Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy.
THE SYSTEM OF DEHUMANIZATION
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) have systematically targeted and criminalized the goals of those correcting the educational, economic, political, and social injustices and eliminating healthcare disparities in a sustained campaign of subjective standards in medicine.
The government utilizes artificial intelligence systems, such as Qlarant, Palantir, Lavender, Where’s Your Daddy, or a system developed by Dr. Timothy King, for detecting fraud in controlled substance prescriptions.
King’s system uses a three-part spreadsheet process (Forensic Chronology, Forensic Summary, Standard of Care Summary) to analyze patient medical and pharmacy data. Fundamentally misunderstands and effectively nullifies the very concept of moral agency.
Critics point out that King’s system lacks scientific rigor, relies on subjective interpretations, disregards patient individuality, and is potentially harmful due to its simplistic approach to complex medical decisions, raising concerns about potential miscarriages of justice and conflicts of interest.
“..When it was actually broken down and presented to the jury, the prosecution narrative melted like an ice cube in the Arizona desert. They had no answers for an actual medical defense. We took them to the pool’s deep end, where they couldn’t swim..”
The panel also alleges Dr. King’s system promotes biased and false testimony, potentially supporting a neo-eugenic approach to healthcare. Ultimately, we present a highly critical view of Dr. King’s system and its implications.
The Controlled Substances Act has been weaponized against those who have the drive, those who have a vision, and those who demonstrate both academic excellence and a commitment to correcting the educational, economic, political, and social injustices, who refuse to be subjugated.
DAVID LEWIS, MD, ANESTHESIOLOGIST, DETROIT, MI.
David Lewis, MD, 43, after earning a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a medical degree from Meharry Medical College, a residency in Anesthesiology, and a pain management fellowship, had just completed the board requirements to be certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology.
So, do you think that after going through all of that, Dr. Lewis would choose to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare?
He is a victim of gross government misconduct and faced (240 months, 24 years Federal Prison Time). Centuries ago, philosophers grappled with a paradox:
If God knows the future, do humans truly have free will?
At the core of Western Civilization’s legal and ethical understanding of guilt lies the Principle of Alternate Possibilities (PAP), which states that a person is morally responsible for an action only if they could have chosen differently. PAP undergirds much of Western jurisprudence. Context is everything.
THE PROSECUTION DISGRACEFUL ATTACK AND THE STATE OF HYPERREALITY
But context is precisely what artificial intelligence algorithms omit in violation of constitutional and human rights, as any doctor in the country is possible he was found “NOT GUILTY,” by a jury on June 1, 2022, in a case called the Detroit-Five.
During the trial, Assistant US Attorney Prosecutor Brandy McMillion, a member of a historically divine nine Black Sorority Delta Sigma Theta, disgracefully attacked and excoriated him for being a member of Alpha Phi Alpha in her effort to win at all cost and “the truth be damned.”
These artificial intelligence systems, widely used by federal agencies and private insurers alike, ingest a deluge of data—insurance claims, pharmacy logs, and public records—and “red flags” to misidentify individuals whose behaviors deviate from established statistical norms.
Palantir’s AI flags the anomaly and lets human interpreters, often prosecutors or investigators, fill in the blanks with assumptions of guilt. This silicon-based, mechanized approach to fraud detection evokes a digital revival of theological fatalism.
Just as philosophers once questioned whether divine foreknowledge nullifies human freedom, Palantir AI’s mass surveillance system generates a paradox of predictive justice, where it claims omniscience through data analytics while simultaneously denying human individuals the opportunity to be judged as human agents capable of acting otherwise.
UNDERSTANDING BRANDY R. MCMILLION’S PROSECUTORIAL SPECTACLE OF HYPERREALITY
The threshold for suspicion is not intent, necessity, or clinical justification, but rather deviation, i.e., an excessive number of prescriptions, patient referrals, or specialist visits.
These so-called healthcare fraud surveillance systems, which utilize artificial intelligence, do not ask why these outliers occur. Palantir’s AI does not consider whether a patient needed that care or whether a physician was serving a high-risk population.
“..the medium becomes the message and the message is guilt..”
Dr. Neil Anand, MD, writes “Palantir AI: The Illusion of Predictive Justice,” critiquing Palantir’s healthcare fraud algorithm. He draws parallels between the historical philosophical paradox of divine foreknowledge and free will, the Wizard of Oz illusion, and Palantir’s predictive AI, arguing that the system undermines concepts of moral agency, context-sensitive judgment, and the Principle of Alternate Possibilities.
Anand highlights concerns about misuse, misalignment, mistakes, and structural risks associated with AI systems like Palantir’s, as well as the concept of hyperreality as described by Jean Baudrillard, where simulations replace reality.
“Like the child on the beach who scoops the ocean with a shell, Palantir’s AI algorithms attempt to reduce the sea of human behavior to a manageable pit of data…
…But human imagination, care, choice, and context are not easily quantified. Human life journeys are stories, not spreadsheets of data.”
When we entrust our systems of justice to AI algorithms that treat correlation as conviction, we are not fighting fraud, we are dismantling the very scaffolding that makes justice and reality possible. Philosopher Jean Baudrillard called this state, hyperreality.”……Hyperreality captures a cultural condition where simulations and symbols no longer represent reality, they replace it.
In a hyperreal state, consumerism thrives on sign exchange value, and brand names become markers of identity and worth, detached from any functional or emotional reality. ”
MIKE JONES, MD, CARDIOLOGIST, NEW ORLEANS
Dr. Michael B Jones, MD, specializes in cardiovascular disease cardiology in New Orleans, LA, and has over 25 years of experience in the field of medicine, allegedly targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice and the DEA.
He graduated from the Medical College of Georgia with his medical degree in 1996. He is a board-certified cardiologist, a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and an award winner for America’s Top Cardiologist for 2010 and 2016. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
He was affiliated with numerous hospitals in Louisiana, including Touro Infirmary. Dr. Michael B Jones was licensed to practice by the state board in Louisiana (13825R). He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the National Medical Association.
Sylvia McKenzie, co-moderator of J&B, says of Dr. Jones, “An awesome guy. He is lovable and willing to school us and teach us about the medical system, the miseducation, and the misinformation about drugs, billing, and the best treatment. He is very knowledgeable. Whatever we can do to get him out, we will do it.”
Dr. Jones annually awards a $5,000 scholarship to a deserving student who will attend an accredited college in Louisiana, remain in Louisiana after graduation, and has demonstrated a commitment to community service.
THE ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION THROUGH FEDERAL PARDONS
Dr. Michael B. Jones, MD, Cardiologist in New Orleans, LA, with over 30 years of experience, along with former U.S. Representative for the 2nd Congressional District of Illinois (1995-2012) Jesse Jackson Jr., Co-author of the article. Author of The Finger of God, from the Lineage of David to the Presidency of the United States.
They argue;
” The United States ranks 69th among 191 countries and ranks last among developed countries in the performance of our healthcare system. Much of the failure of our medical system is due to reduced access to providers and the 64,000 doctor shortage...there are presently 70,000 (Seventy Thousand) medical entities (Doctors, Nurses, Clinics, Dentists, Pharmacists, etc.) excluded from providing care due to restrictions related to their convictions. If each of those entities provided care for 2,000 people (a conservative estimate), the nation would have access to 140,000,000 (approximately one-third of the US population) more episodes of care..
…This alone would alleviate the known medical provider shortage, returning 70,000.00 (Seventy Thousand) medical providers to work, allowing for a conservative income commiserate with their discipline, would mean an economic boost of $17 billion. This would also equal over $4 billion in taxes paid...
As an American citizen, believing in the American promise and the Constitution, I know that restoring full citizenship to over 70 million Americans through a pardon is a step towards strengthening our country...If 70 million Americans currently kept from gainful employment and full participation in our economy were emancipated, this would provide an immense financial boon for the United States. With an average annual wage of $65,000 for Americans, full pardons would contribute over $4.2 trillion to our economy each year.”
GREGORY BELCHER, MD, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, SAN FRANCISCO, CA,
An orthopedic surgeon based in San Francisco, California. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Navy. He is described as an exceptionally talented and dedicated surgeon with expertise in complex joint replacements and revisions.
He was convicted of $217.00 healthcare fraud and served a 1-year sentence in Lompoc Federal Prison, California (1-year sentence).
His wife, Vilasini Ganesh, MD, the wife of Dr. Gregory Belcher, MD, was also targeted due to erroneous government charges. Incredibly, prosecutors accused her of treating patients while she was still in high school in India, long before she arrived in this country. She is serving a 5-year sentence in federal prison. They have three children.
Their cases are cited as an example of alleged medical injustice and the problematic use of AI in the prosecution process. “The metaphor of the Wizard of Oz is apt. Thiel’s Palantir’s technology operates behind a curtain of proprietary secrecy, projecting power and certainty while concealing fragility and error.”
“The government and counsel for Dr. Belcher have consented to the filing of this amicus brief. Amici curiae members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. submit this brief in support of Dr. Gregory Belcher’s petition for en banc review.”
THE LATE LOUIS LADSON RPH, MBA
The Obituary Tribute reads:
“Louie loved his wife, Sharron, from the moment their eyes met. They were blessed with two children, Tisha and Eric. He was a wonderful, loving father who was involved in all their interests and social activities; he cheered them on when they played sports. Louie loved his sports and loved watching his games..
…As a soldier, Louie continued serving his country in the United States Army Reserves as a Pharmacy Information Officer. he recently joined the American Legion Post 138 in Tampa, Florida. His service to God was of utmost importance in his life, as he consistently prioritized the Lord
He loved serving God and was committed to Mt. Zion AME Church, Tampa, Florida, his Pastor, and his church family, doing whatever needed to be done. He was there giving his best with his broad, infectious smile.
He loved being the Pro Tem of the Stewards Board and working on the Anniversary Committee. Louie loved and supported all his family and was always there when they needed him without hesitation. He always gave his all to his fellow man.”
DRUG DEALER AND TRAFFICKER IN A WHITE COAT
However, to the DEA, Dr. Louis Ladson is both a drug dealer and a drug trafficker. Lincourt Pharmacy of Clearwater, Florida, had been in business for nearly 40 years.
They’re a specialty pharmacy that compounds sterile and non-sterile products, and we generate over $15 million in sales annually, with operations worldwide.
They are a specialty pharmacy that compounds both sterile and non-sterile products and generated over $15 million in annual sales, with operations around the globe.
Louis Ladson, who is the pharmacist-owner, states that “his business dropped dramatically when the DEA came around and began targeting and harassing his wholesalers.”
Let’s not be fooled, this was the work of Florida DEA director Susan Langston and demonstrates how the DEA targeted Black Own Pharmacy Businesses.
Louis passed away on January 26, 2022, from having an unsuccessful heart transplant.
THE DIGITAL JIM CROW
JOSEPH WEBSTER, MD, GASTROENTEROLOGIST, ORLANDO, FL.
Dr. Joseph Webster, MD, a practicing 1971 graduate of Florida A&M University School of Pharmacy, well articulates November 17, 1967, at 08:05 pm, I “crossed the burning sands” and entered the sacred and hallowed grounds of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. via the cherished and noble portal called BN (Beta Nu) Chapter, Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida.
Barely nineteen years old, I suddenly became an “Alpha Man” with all the ‘rights and privileges appertaining thereunto’ along with my countless Brothers of Alpha Dom strategically ‘scattered’ around the world that we know as Earth.
Finally, I had ‘Finished Pledging’. I could begin ‘enjoying’ the great opportunities that Alpha Phi Alpha provided – Agape Love, Fraternal Spirit, Brothers for life, Academic Associates, Business Partners and Opportunities, Wine and Women, Expert tutorials, (a few ‘free unspeakables’), and countless ‘portals’ to the finer things in life simply because I was an “Alpha Man”!
Dr. Webster writes;
The Laws of Thermodynamics apply to social institutions just as they do to the physical world described by Newton and others, such as Faraday, centuries ago. There is an inverse relationship between the intensity of heat generated by a source and the distance that heat must travel.
The further I got from FAMU and November 17, 1967, at 8:05 pm, the less intense the heat I felt when I crossed the burning sands. My ‘Love’ for Alpha has never diminished, but the ‘demonstrated Love’ as measured by the tangibles and easily quantifiable variables – paid dues, meetings attended, offices held at local, regional, and national levels, banquets and picnics attended, reading sessions for underprivileged students, etc. – have been constantly ‘replaced’ with what I almost embarrassingly call ‘more important and more immediately demanding’ issues in my life at all levels.
The replacement factors include – raising a family, 70 – 80-hour workweek (I am an ‘old physician’ and we worked those crazy hours), church leadership duties, professional organizations, civic organizations, NAACP, URBAN LEAGUE, three post-doc degrees, and the constant demand to ‘keep one step ahead of disruptive innovations in our chosen professions.
Granted, the ‘replacement factors’ are all legitimate matters that have to be cared for at the very highest level of precision as one would expect from an Alpha Man, regardless of the task, as long as the task was one of ‘Manly Deeds, Scholarship, and Love for All Mankind.”
Systemic attacks against Black physicians, often under the guise of peer review or credentialing processes.
The provided documents from the Association of Black Physicians (ABP) outline the organization’s concerns regarding systemic attacks against Black physicians, often under the guise of peer review or credentialing processes. They assert that these attacks are disproportionately aimed at Black medical professionals, usually stemming from economic competition rather than legitimate quality-of-care issues.
The ABP highlights specific cases where Black physicians faced professional setbacks despite strong evidence in their favor, suggesting a need for reform in how medical boards and review processes operate to prevent biased and unfair treatment.
The documents also reference the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (HCQIA), arguing its intended purpose has been corrupted to allow for “punitive acts” against physicians through the application of its immunity clause.
The Pledging never ends!
“We must prepare to turn over a new leaf and set forth a new African American who is committed to changing the world for our children, starting at the root cause of what is wrong with the United States of America.
Joseph Webster, MD, a gastroenterologist, was systematically forced out of business and sold the ‘Webster Medical Complex.
TO CASH APP:$docnorm
ZELLE 3135103378
ALL WATCHED OVER BY MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE
BE SURE TO DONATE TO THE MARK IBSEN GOFUNDME DEFENSE FUND, WHERE THE SON ALWAYS RISES!!!
FOR NOW, YOU ARE WITHIN
THE NORMS
REFERENCES:
Summary
Briefing Document: Alpha Phi Alpha Against Medical Injustice and AI Bias
Source: Excerpts from “Alpha Phi Alpha Against Medical Injustice and AI Bias,” by You’re Within The Norms.
Date: As published in the source.
Subject: This document provides a review of a source outlining the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s stance and actions against alleged medical injustice, particularly focusing on the use of artificial intelligence systems by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) that are claimed to unfairly target and criminalize African American healthcare providers.
Key Themes and Arguments:
- Alpha Phi Alpha’s Historical Role and Contemporary Mission: The source emphasizes the fraternity’s long-standing commitment to addressing social injustices and advocating for the rights of African Americans since its founding in 1906. It highlights their prominent members, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Thurgood Marshall, and their past activism. The current focus is on fighting “medical injustice and AI bias” perpetuated by government agencies.
- Quote: “Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-American men, was founded in 1906 at Cornell University. Since then, the fraternity has had over 290,000 members. The fraternity addresses social issues such as apartheid, AIDS, urban housing, and other economic, cultural, and political issues of interest to people of color.”
- Quote: “Members of Alpha Phi Alpha have long stood at the forefront of the African- American community’s fight for civil rights through leading members such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Jesse Owens.”
- Targeting of Successful African American Healthcare Providers: A central argument is that the DOJ and DEA are systematically targeting and criminalizing successful African American physicians and pharmacists under the guise of fighting healthcare fraud, particularly in the context of controlled substance prescriptions. This is seen as a continuation of systemic injustice.
- Quote: “The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) has systematically targeted and criminalized the goals of those correcting the educational, economic, political, and social injustices and eliminating healthcare disparities in a sustained campaign of subjective standards in medicine.”
- Quote: “We ARE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PHYSICIANS, DENTISTS, PHARMACISTS, NOT STREET DRUG DEALERS”
- Critique of Government AI Systems: The source strongly criticizes the use of artificial intelligence systems (such as Qlarant, Palantir, Lavender, Where’s your Daddy, and Dr. Timothy King’s system) by government and private insurers for fraud detection. These systems are alleged to lack context, disregard moral agency, and rely on statistical deviations rather than clinical necessity or intent.
- Quote: “Artificial intelligence system used by Medicare, medicaid, Private Insurance programs that misunderstands, and effectively nullifies, the very concept of moral agency.”
- Quote: “The threshold for suspicion is not intent, necessity, or clinical justification, but deviation i.e. too many prescriptions, too many patient referrals, too many specialist visits.”
- Quote: “Critics point out that King’s system lacks scientific rigor, relies on subjective interpretations, disregards patient individuality, and is potentially harmful due to its simplistic approach to complex medical decisions, raising concerns about potential miscarriages of justice and conflicts of interest.”
- Undermining Moral Agency and the Principle of Alternate Possibilities: The use of AI systems is seen as undermining the fundamental Western legal and ethical concept of the Principle of Alternate Possibilities (PAP), which posits that moral responsibility requires the ability to have chosen differently. AI’s focus on statistical deviation is viewed as removing context and the possibility of innocent explanation.
- Quote: “At the core of Western Civilization’s legal and ethical understanding of guilt lies the Principle of Alternate Possibilities (PAP), which states that a person is morally responsible for an action only if they could have chosen differently.”
- Quote: “Context is everything. But context is precisely what artificial intelligence algorithms omits in violation of constitutional and human rights…”
- AI and Hyperreality: The source draws on the concept of hyperreality (Jean Baudrillard) and the Wizard of Oz metaphor to describe how AI systems create a simulation of reality that replaces actual understanding and justice. The opaque nature of proprietary AI algorithms is highlighted as a significant problem.
- Quote: “Like the child on the beach who scoops the ocean with a shell, Palantir’s AI algorithms attempt to reduce the sea of human behavior to a manageable pit of data. But human imagination, care, choice, and context are not easily quantified. Human life journeys are stories, not spreadsheets of data.”
- Quote: “the medium becomes the message and the message is guilt..”
- Quote: “..the metaphor of Wizard of Oz is apt. Palantir’s technology operates behind a curtain of proprietary secrecy, projecting power and certainty while concealing fragility and error..”
- Quote: “Hyperreality captures a cultural condition where simulations and symbols no longer represent reality, they replace it.”
- Cases of Targeted Alpha Phi Alpha Members: The source highlights the specific cases of Alpha Phi Alpha members who are healthcare providers and have faced legal challenges, illustrating the broader issues being discussed. These include:
- Dr. David Lewis: An anesthesiologist and pain management specialist who was found NOT GUILTY by a jury but was allegedly attacked by a prosecutor for being a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. His case is presented as an example of the injustice stemming from AI flagging.
- Dr. Michael Jones: A cardiologist with over 25 years of experience, flagged by Palantir’s AI. Described as knowledgeable and committed to community service.
- Dr. Gregory Belcher: An orthopedic surgeon, decorated Navy veteran, and highly skilled physician. Alpha Phi Alpha members submitted an amicus brief in support of his petition for en banc review, arguing against the unjust outcome and the theory of fraud presented. His conviction and sentence, along with his wife’s, are highlighted.
- Louis Ladson RPH, MBA: A pharmacist-owner whose successful pharmacy business was allegedly targeted and harassed by the DEA, particularly by the Florida DEA director, leading to a dramatic drop in business. His case is presented as an example of the targeting of Black-owned businesses. He passed away from an unsuccessful heart transplant.
- Dr. Joseph Webster Sr.: A gastroenterologist and long-time Alpha Phi Alpha member who was “systematically forced out of business” and sold his medical complex. His reflections on the ongoing commitment required of Alpha Men and the need for transformative change are included.
- Call for Transparency and Human Agency in Justice: The source argues that the current approach to fraud detection using opaque AI systems is dismantling justice. It calls for transparency, open configurability of algorithms, and a return to human judgment that considers context and alternate possibilities.
- Quote: “What’s needed is not the impossible promise of neutrality, but transparency and open configurability, allowing users to see, understand, and adjust the biases within.”
- Quote: “The true danger is not that such AI systems exist, but that we humans defer to them. That we allow AI visual persuasion to replace reasoned human argument. That we accept AI predictive data analytics as proof.”
- Quote: “It is not the volume of data or the sophistication of the AI software. It is the ability to consider alternate possibilities, to contextualize decisions, and to respect the human agency of those we judge.”
- The “Pledging Never Ends” and the Role of the Divine Nine: Dr. Joseph Webster’s contribution reflects on the lifelong commitment of being an “Alpha Man” and the need for continued action beyond traditional fraternity activities. He frames this ongoing commitment (“Pledging 201” or the “infinite journey of Pledging”) as addressing the root causes of social determinants and challenging existing power structures. He views the Divine Nine (historically Black Greek-letter organizations) as the “talented tenth” responsible for driving transformative change for future generations.
- Quote: “It also affords an opportunity to ‘redefine’ what we mean by ‘Pledging’ in the context of a rapidly changing world and the associated need for transformative change in every fiber of the world that we want to see tomorrow.”
- Quote: “I argue that we, the Divine Nine, are indeed the ‘talented tenth’ that Du Bois referenced. We are the people that we are waiting for to change the world for our children for generations to come.”
- Quote: “It is the responsibility of the Divine Nine to strategically deploy every ounce of our collective resources – starting with our intellectual prowess and organizational networks – to address the ‘upstream’ causes that are responsible for our current situation.”
Most Important Ideas/Facts:
- Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, with its history of civil rights activism and a significant presence of African American physicians among its members, is actively challenging the use of AI in healthcare fraud detection.
- The core complaint is that AI systems used by the DOJ/DEA and insurers are unjustly targeting successful African American healthcare providers by flagging statistical deviations as evidence of fraud, ignoring context and the concept of moral agency.
- Specific Alpha Phi Alpha members (Drs. David Lewis, Michael Jones, Gregory Belcher, and Louis Ladson, RPh) are cited as examples of this alleged targeting and injustice.
- The source argues that these AI systems operate without sufficient transparency (“behind a curtain of proprietary secrecy”) and that their visualizations or “risk scores” are presented as definitive proof (“the medium becomes the message, and the message is guilt”).
- The critique extends to the potential for these systems to promote biased and false testimony, even suggesting a “neo-eugenic approach to healthcare” through subjective standards and criminalization.
- The fraternity believes this issue is not just about individual cases but represents a systemic problem rooted in flawed technology and a history of unfair treatment of African Americans in the legal system.
- The solution proposed involves greater transparency in AI algorithms, a return to context-sensitive human judgment in legal proceedings, and a broader commitment from organizations like the Divine Nine to address the upstream causes of these injustices.
Detailed Timeline of Main Events
- 1906: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is founded at Cornell University, becoming the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity for African-American men.
- November 17, 1967 (08:05 pm): Joseph Webster “crosses the burning sands” and becomes a member of Alpha Phi Alpha at Florida A & M University.
- Early 1980s (Approximate): Dr. Gregory Belcher’s father leaves the family when Gregory is three years old.
- Date Unspecified: Dr. Gregory Belcher receives a Navy scholarship to medical school and is accepted into residency at Brown University and a post-residency fellowship at Stanford.
- 1996: Dr. Michael B. Jones graduates from the Medical College of Georgia with his medical degree.
- 1998: Life expectancy gap by race begins to widen in the United States.
- Date Unspecified: Louis Ladson’s pharmacy, Lincourt Pharmacy of Clearwater, Florida, which had been in business for nearly 40 years, experiences a dramatic drop in business after the DEA begins targeting and harassing its wholesalers. This is attributed to the actions of Florida DEA director Susan Langston.
- Date Unspecified: Dr. Joseph Webster Sr. is systematically forced out of business and sells the Webster Medical Complex.
- Before June 1, 2022: Dr. David Lewis, Dr. Gregory Belcher, Dr. Michael Jones, Dr. Joseph Webster, and Louis Ladson are targeted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Justice (DOJ), often through the use of artificial intelligence systems like Qlarant, Palantir, Lavender, Where’s your Daddy, or a system developed by Dr. Timothy King.
- Date Unspecified: Dr. Vilasini Ganesh, wife of Dr. Gregory Belcher, is also targeted, with prosecutors reportedly charging her for treating and billing patients while she was in high school in India.
- Date Unspecified: Dr. Gregory Belcher is convicted and sentenced to a 1-year sentence at Lompoc Federal Prison, California, based on a conviction of $217.
- Date Unspecified: Dr. Vilasini Ganesh is sentenced to a 5-year sentence in Federal Prison. They have three children.
- July 19, 2021: Members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. file an amicus brief in support of Dr. Gregory Belcher’s petition for en banc review.
- January 26, 2022: Louis Ladson passes away from an unsuccessful heart transplant.
- June 1, 2022: Dr. David Lewis is found “NOT GUILTY” by a jury in the “Detroit-Five” case. During the trial, Assistant US Attorney Prosecutor Brandy McMillion allegedly attacked and excoriated him for being a member of Alpha Phi Alpha.
Cast of Characters
Thomas Carlyle: A writer whose quote about focusing on “what lies clearly at hand” is used to encourage action in addressing current challenges.
Gregory Belcher, MD: An orthopedic surgeon based in San Francisco, California. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Navy. He is described as an exceptionally talented and dedicated surgeon with expertise in complex joint replacements and revisions. He was convicted and served a 1-year sentence in federal prison. His case is cited as an example of alleged medical injustice and the problematic use of AI in prosecutions.
Michael Jones, MD: A cardiovascular disease cardiologist in New Orleans, Louisiana, with over 25 years of experience. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the National Medical Association. He awards an annual scholarship to a deserving student in Louisiana. He is cited as another healthcare provider targeted by AI-driven fraud detection systems.
David Lewis, MD: An Anesthesiologist in Detroit, Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a medical degree from Meharry Medical College, and completed residency in Anesthesiology and a pain management fellowship.
He had recently completed board requirements for certification with the American Board of Anesthesiology.
He was a defendant in the “Detroit-Five” case and was found “NOT GUILTY” by a jury on June 1, 2022. He is presented as a victim of alleged gross government misconduct and the targeting of Alpha Phi Alpha members by a prosecutor.
Joseph Webster Sr., MD, MBA, FACP: A Gastroenterologist. He became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in 1967 at Florida A & M University. He was systematically forced out of business and sold the Webster Medical Complex. He is a strong advocate for the ongoing relevance of the “Pledging” concept within Alpha Phi Alpha to address current societal issues and the injustices faced by African Americans.
Louis Ladson, RPh, MBA: A pharmacist and owner of Lincourt Pharmacy in Clearwater, Florida. He is described as a loving husband, father, and active member of his church and the American Legion. He served in the United States Army Reserves as a Pharmacy Information Officer. His business was allegedly targeted and harassed by the DEA, particularly under the direction of Florida DEA director Susan Langston. He passed away on January 26, 2022, from an unsuccessful heart transplant. The source portrays him as a victim of government overreach and targeted actions against Black-owned businesses.
Vilasini Ganesh, MD: The wife of Dr. Gregory Belcher. She is also a physician. She was targeted by prosecutors who allegedly charged her for treating and billing patients when she was in high school in India. She was sentenced to a 5-year sentence in federal prison.
Henry Arthur Callis: One of the seven “Jewels” or visionary founders of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He was a practicing physician, Howard University Professor of Medicine, and prolific contributor to medical journals, often regarded as the “philosopher of the founders” and a moving force in the Fraternity’s development. His legacy is invoked by the authors as a precedent for Alpha Phi Alpha members in the medical profession.
You’re Within The Norms: The author/blogger of the source material, who operates the blog youarewithinthenorms.com. They are a vocal critic of the DEA, DOJ, and the use of AI in healthcare fraud detection, advocating for accountability and exposing alleged abuses. They identify as a healthcare provider (RPh, DDS) and an MEMBER OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI,Inc., (Norman J Clement RPH., DDS aka Norman The Dove Officer of Love Sp 71, Alpha Xi Chapter, Florida AM University).
Darnella Frazier: Mentioned as the young woman whose cell phone camera recorded the murder of George Floyd, serving as a parallel to the blog’s role in bearing witness to alleged injustices.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: A prominent member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and a leading figure in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. The fraternity was responsible for the conception, funding, and construction of his memorial in Washington, D.C.
Thurgood Marshall: A prominent member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the first African-American Supreme Court Justice.
Jesse Owens: A prominent member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and an Olympic track and field athlete.
Timothy King: A developer of a system for detecting fraud in controlled substance prescriptions using a three-part spreadsheet process. The source is highly critical of his system, alleging it lacks scientific rigor, relies on subjective interpretations, promotes biased testimony, and potentially supports a neo-eugenic approach to healthcare.
Brandy McMillion: An Assistant US Attorney Prosecutor in the “Detroit-Five” case involving Dr. David Lewis. She is identified as a member of the historically divine nine Black Sorority Delta Sigma Theta. She is alleged to have disgracefully attacked and excoriated Dr. Lewis for being a member of Alpha Phi Alpha during the trial.
Dr. Neil Anand, MD: Author of “Palantir AI: The Illusion of Predictive Justice,” which critiques Palantir’s healthcare fraud algorithm.
Jean Baudrillard: A philosopher whose concept of “hyperreality” is used by the authors to describe a state where simulations replace reality, particularly in relation to AI systems.
Sylvia McKenzie: Co-moderator of J&B, who speaks highly of Dr. Michael Jones, describing him as “awesome,” “lovable,” and knowledgeable about the medical system.
Lara Bazelon: Counsel for Alpha Phi Alpha Members who submitted an amicus brief in support of Dr. Gregory Belcher’s petition for en banc review.
Willie Brown, Jimmy Chambers, Desmond Gumbs, Marcus Lampley, Hesham Ragab, M.D.: Members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. listed as amici curiae (friends of the court) who submitted a brief in support of Dr. Gregory Belcher.
Lisa Kumagai: A critical care nurse in the U.S. Navy and Officer in Charge of Expeditionary Medical Facility Camp Pendleton Detachment G in San Jose. She provided a statement in support of Dr. Gregory Belcher at his sentencing, praising his adherence to Navy core values.
Sanaz Hariri: An Orthopedic surgeon who shares office space with Dr. Gregory Belcher. She describes Dr. Belcher as an exceptionally talented and dedicated surgeon with a unique mixture of empathy and surgical skills.
Susan Langston: Florida DEA director who is alleged to have targeted Black-owned pharmacy businesses, specifically Lincourt Pharmacy owned by Louis Ladson.
Frantz Fanon: A philosopher and revolutionary whose quote from 1961 is used by Joseph Webster to emphasize the need for a “NEW MAN (African American)” and transformative change.
Channing Tobias, Paul Robeson, Rayford Logan, Max Yergan, Belford V. Lawson: Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha mentioned in relation to the fraternity’s “Forward with Alpha” initiative in 1946, invoked as a historical precedent for the fraternity’s activism.
Chaka Zulu, Moses, Joseph, Suni Ali, Martin, Malcolm, Tupac, Toussaint, Du Bois, Booker T., Garvey, Blyden, Rosa: Historical figures and individuals whose spirits are described as being intertwined with the spirits of present-day Alpha Men, inspiring them to address societal problems.
