Psychotherapist accused of assuming various false identities, found ungovernable
The Ontario Registered Psychotherapists Discipline Tribunal has revoked the certificate of registration of a psychotherapist upon finding that he adopted numerous false identities and made false accusations about an employee of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
The case is College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario v Jayatunge, 2024 ONRPDT 8. The College launched a 2019 investigation into the conduct of one of its registrants after receiving complaints about his social media activity.
In December 2020, the College employee involved in this complaint started receiving emails from somebody claiming to be a journalist. This person eventually accused the employee of having anti-2SLGBTQIA+ sentiments.
In April 2021, the College’s Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) found that the registrant breached professional standards. The ICRC required him to appear for a caution and to complete a course on ethics and boundaries. Upon a review, in June 2022, the Ontario Health Professions Appeal and Review Board upheld the ICRC’s ruling.
In 2022, the College received emails and voicemails from senders using different names and email addresses. These messages accused the College employee of expressing anti-LGBT views and of sharing confidential information.
This employee denied all accusations and insisted that they never expressed homophobic views. They claimed that these false allegations upset and hurt them and suspected that the messages targeted them because of their name and religious association.
The College’s investigation, which included an expert forensic analysis of internet protocol addresses, linked the messages to the registrant subject to the social media complaint. The registrant either directed the various senders of the messages or assumed their identities, the College found.
The registrant did not participate in the disciplinary proceedings despite being served with a notice of hearing and despite the College’s efforts to reach him.
Registration revoked
The Ontario Registered Psychotherapists Discipline Tribunal ordered the registrant to pay the College $6,055 in costs and immediately revoked his certificate of registration.
The tribunal held that the registrant committed professional misconduct, including through contravening professional standards by failing to accept the College’s regulatory authority; engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct; and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member of the profession.
The registrant’s serious and false accusations against the College employee, his use of false identities, and his refusal to participate in the disciplinary process showed that he was unfit to continue practising as a psychotherapist in Ontario, the tribunal said.
The tribunal also found ungovernability on the part of the registrant due to his non-participation in the proceedings. The tribunal pointed out that, despite an October 2022 cease-and-desist letter, the registrant later sent the College an email alleging that the employee had racist and anti-LGBT views.
