It took a pair of handcuffs to make this doctor stop practicing his bad medicine.
Queens urologist Harry Josifidis was busted yesterday afternoon at his Astoria office — just as The Post was preparing to reveal that the doctor was continuing to see patients and prescribe drugs even though his license had been revoked in May.
Josifidis, 56, is to be arraigned today on the felony charge of unauthorized practice of medicine.
The Mercedes-driving doctor said little as detectives hauled him away.
Josifidis, who has a long, ugly history with state medical regulators, lost his license and was fined $20,000 after being charged in 2010 with 15 counts of professional misconduct, including fraud and failing to maintain proper patient records.
He fought to keep his license for more than two years, taking the case all the way to the state Court of Appeals, which eventually turned the doc away.
“Practicing medicine without a license is a very serious crime,” said state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose agents arrested the doctor.
“Despite the fact that this doctor’s license was revoked, he continued to see unsuspecting patients, putting his own greed before the health and safety of the community.”
Josifidis lives on Manhattan’s East Side and has three offices in Queens. He merrily tended to his business this week as The Post watched.
On Tuesday afternoon, Josifidis examined postal clerk John Truta, 63, who usually sees the urologist every three months. After undergoing a urine and PSA test, Truta said he was stunned to learn his physician was no longer licensed.
“I don’t know what to say,” Truta, of Jamaica, Queens, told The Post.
A Post reporter was able to schedule an appointment with Josifidis. And when the doctor was confronted outside his office, he insisted the state had it wrong — that he is permitted to practice.
“This is ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous,” Josifidis said. “This has absolutely no relation to reality. I’m not supposed to talk to the media, but I’ve had it. So much nonsense has gone on with this case you would be shocked.”
Josifidis said he’s the victim.
“I’m not sitting here practicing without a license [like] I’m crazy, [like] I’m some f—ing nut,” he said. “I don’t need this crap. I’ve been ready to retire after all of this nonsense started because I’ve had it with their bulls–t.”
Josifidis is certainly no stranger to the authorities.
More than a decade ago he was suspended by the state in connection with a scandal at Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills. The state found that Josifidis was one of two doctors who performed prostate surgeries on two dozen mentally disabled men not competent to consent to undergoing the operations.
Additional reporting by Daniel Prendergast