Weinberger's wife happy he's been arrested (2024)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | The estranged wife of Mark Weinberger saysshe's confident the 46-year-old former Merrillville physician willbe brought to justice in the U.S.

Two days after Italian authorities apprehended Weinberger fromhis mountain campsite, Michelle Kramer said says she is delightedthat he is in custody.

Kramer, who filed for divorce and now lives in Birmingham, Ala.where she went to work this fall as an intern in a psychologyprogram at the University of Alabama, said she was contacted by"America's Most Wanted" after his capture was reported in Italianmedia.

In a statement read to The Associated Press on Friday, she saidWeinberger's actions and "cowardice have adversely affected thelives of many people."

Weinberger remains in the city of Turin, where is held in adetainee section of the Molinette hospital where he is beingtreated for wounds suffered when he stabbed himself in the neck ashe was taken into custody.

The Associated Press reported it was not clear when Weinbergerwould be discharged.

On Thursday, Col. Guido Di Vita, of Italy's Arma deiCarabinieri, or Corps of Carbineers, said Weinberger would taken tobe questioned by Turin's appeal court magistrate.

A U.S. treaty with Italy requires extradition proceedings tobegin within 40 days, said local personal injury lawyer Kenneth J.Allen. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors are working on the flood ofpaperwork required to request extradition, said David Capp, theacting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Indiana.

Capp said proceedings to extradite Weinberger could take a yearor more. However, Allen said, if Weinberger waives extradition, hecould be returned to the U.S. as soon as February or March.

Authorities believe the former physician likely was trying tomake his way into Switzerland when he was apprehended at a campsite some 6,000 feet above sea level at the foot of Val Ferret nearMont Blanc in the Aosta Valley in northern Italy. His capture comesmore than five years after he left Kramer behind on his 79-footpowerboat while the couple was vacationing in Mykonos, Greece.

The subject of a federal investigation, Weinberger in 2006 wasindicted by a federal grand jury seated in Hammond and charged with22 counts of health care fraud, and is the target of hundreds ofcivil lawsuits across Northwest Indiana that allegemalpractice.

Weinberger's time in the Aosta Valley -- in thenorthwestern-most region of Italy -- dates back to the summer, whenhe rented an apartment in the town of Courmayeur, authorities said.Di Vita said Weinberger's arrival in a fancy car with Monte Carlolicense plates and accompanied by a driver drew some notice in thetown of about 3,000 people.

In August, Weinberger stopped paying rent and disappeared, DiVita said. Authorities are investigating where Weinberger spent thetime in between, Di Vita said.

Published reports show that a personal computer and a cell phonewere found in the residence.

Italian authorities were alerted to Weinberger's camp site by amountain guide. Another guide who helped police find Weinberger onFriday told The Associated Press he had noticed ski traces andfollowed them until they saw man standing outside a tent near acliff.

The guide said it was strange to see someone camping in the areaduring this time of year because temperatures are below zero.

The guide, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition ofanonymity because the investigation was ongoing, said Weinbergerappeared confused when the police approached him and did not seemto understand Italian well. But Weinberger did have the gear neededto trek in the snowy mountains including high-tech shoes and asleeping bag as well as a camping stove to melt the snow, hesaid.

It wasn't clear how long Weinberger had been in Italy, or if hehad retained an attorney there. No other details were immediatelyavailable.

Merrillville attorney James Hough, who represents Weinberger,said Friday he hadn't been in contact with his client since hedisappeared five years ago. He said there were about 300 claimsfiled by patients against the physician, but declined to commentfurther.

Weinberger's patients in the United States, who have beenwaiting for years to tell a court they believe the doctormisdiagnosed them, botched surgeries or hastily performed the wrongprocedures, hoped his capture will mean their lawsuits can finallygo forward.

"We want him ... to look these people in the eye and explain whyhe did this," said Allen, who represents around 60 familiesaccusing Weinberger of negligence.