Once-Amish Iowa Man Faces Second Round of Charges Over Unlicensed Clinic — Authorities Say Patients Were Injured & Died, While He Earned $887,000
A formerly Amish Iowa man is facing charges for the second time — including two felony counts — over an unlicensed rural health facility, which once drew many Amish customers.
Authorities are now alleging that patients were injured and died, and that Eddie R. Gingerich collected hundreds of thousands of dollars running the operation. From KTVO:
Eddie Gingerich, 36, was arrested on April 22 by the Appanoose County Sheriff’s office. Police affidavits say Gingerich worked as a medical provider and dietitian without a valid license at Old Cabin Retreat from April 2023 to Feb. 2026.
In their report, officers write that Gingerich’s “incompetent care” and “misleading health advice” led to “confirmed injury and death of persons who agreed to visit the facility.”
Investigators say Gingerich made nearly $887,000 illegally and used it to buy property.
This is the second time Gingerich has run into problems related to his health business. In 2023 he faced two misdemeanors and a class D felony charge, which was later dropped. In that case he ended up pleading guilty to a single misdemeanor and paying a fine.
This time, the charges appear to be significantly more serious.
The Charges
According to the Ottumwa Courier, Gingerich faces the following four criminal counts:
- Ongoing criminal conduct (a Class B felony)
- Money laundering (a Class C felony)
- Operating a hospital without a license (a serious misdemeanor)
- Practicing a health profession without a license (a serious misdemeanor)
As I understand it, Gingerich has treated a lot of Amish people, or at least once did. He was also once a member of an Amish church, but no longer is. More on that below.
When officers executed the search warrant on April 22, they found patients at the facility, who provided descriptions of what went on at the facility:
During the Wednesday search, officers said patients on the premises described overnight stays, dietary recommendations and providing urine and saliva samples for evaluation by Gingerich.
A check of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals registry showed no license for Old Cabin Retreat or for Gingerich, investigators said.
Along similar lines, reporting on the 2023 case states that Gingerich as diagnosed at least one patient with several cancers, among other conditions:
Court documents point to Oct. 19 when police say Gingerich was working as an acting dietitian and diagnosed a patient with high blood pressure, allergies, and cancers of the liver, pancreas and large intestine.
Law enforcement maintained that neither he nor the facility had proper licensing at the time, and he now faces those charges again in this latest case
Who Is Eddie Gingerich?
A source familiar with the situation shared more with me on Eddie Gingerich and his business and clientele, confirming that at one time Eddie Gingerich was Amish.
According to the source, “while he was Amish operating his business, he had more clientele than he could handle.” Gingerich’s focus was on physical health:
he helped them with their physical conditions. He had a store as part of his clinic that sold supplements like herbs, essential oils, tinctures, ointments and vitamins. It was quite profitable.
Around three years ago, Gingerich left the Amish, though still maintains a traditionally Amish appearance, as you can see from the booking photo at top. As far as church affiliation, “he just believes in the Bible and is not part of any organized religion.”
This apparently has had an effect on his business. After leaving the Amish, his Amish clientele allegedly soured on him, and stopped patronizing his business in large numbers.
The Amish & Unconventional Health Care: Some Context
It is not unusual for Amish people to seek out informal health practitioners or alternative treatments. I’ve covered some of those practices in depth here, and the broader picture of how Amish approach health care. In a nutshell, there is not one “Amish health approach”.
Some favor traditional remedies and more unconventional practitioners, including folk healers and “gray area dentists” in their communities. Other Amish prefer to patronize conventional medical professionals.
For many, it’s a mix, weighted in one direction or another. Factors like cost, familiarity, family recommendations, and proximity can all influence a given health-related decision.
Cases involving unlicensed practitioners in plain communities are not without precedent. To take one example, in 2018, two Amish midwives in Indiana faced felony charges for practicing medicine without a license after administering veterinary-intended medications to patients. They eventually pleaded guilty in that case.
The Gingerich case jumps out to me in part for the large amount of money collected — and of course due to the allegations that a person or persons died in connection with the care and advice given by Gingerich. That, and the fact that this is the second time Gingerich has found himself in legal trouble. I expect we’ll be hearing more on this case soon.
Eddie Gingerich
Um, forgive my ignorance. Can someone please explain to me the phrase “serious misdemeanor.” If it’s that “serious”, how is it merely a “misdemeanor”?? We’re talking about people dying here.
I can’t comment on anything from a legal perspective, but “serious misdemeanor” was the phrasing used in the Ottumwa Courier report I cited, so I reproduced that here.
Eddie Gingerich
Hi, Erik . . . My apologies for any confusion over my comment on Eddie Gingerich and the charges against him. Actually I was hoping an Iowa resident well versed in the law could clarify things for me. Are these charges “serious” (similar to a felony??) or a “misdemeanor” (more akin to a slap on the wrist??) Keep up the wonderful work, as I so look forward to each and every post to your site. Have a blessed day! Best Wishes. K.D.
Amish are easy marks
My wife and I lived in a large Old Order Amish community in Missouri in the early 1980s. Great experience and wonderful people. We lived the Amish lifestyle because our farm was a former Amish farm; therefore, no electricity. phone service, running water, plumbing, etc. We watched as a few characters came to sell their latest remedies. I remember one fellow promoting the health benefits of jumping on a small trampoline. He was the joke that many Amish expressed. The farther they had to travel to a doctor, the better the doctor.
Amish As Easy Marks
My mom buys “junk” (my opinion) from a ‘medical catalog’ all the time. So I guess you could say she too is an “easy mark.” I keep telling her she’s wasting her money. That it’s the ‘power of suggestion’ and she should see her primary care doctor. But does she listen?? Of course not. lol. I never knew this until recently but there’s more than one kind of Calcium. Many people take it for their bones so as to avoid Osteoporosis. But if you are also taking Iron, you mustn’t take them at the same time. The Iron can cancel out the Calcium making it useless. Who knew??
Eddie Gingrich, part 2
When they just can’t look into the camera for their booking photo . . . That should tell you something.
Government overreach
Amish often go to these facilities because many of them do not trust certain parts of modern medicine, especially vaccines, chemotherapy, and heavy use of chemicals or medications that they feel can make people sicker. They prefer to try more natural approaches first.
This is government overreach. People die every day under the care of licensed physicians and hospitals across the country due to misdiagnosis, incorrect treatments, medication errors, and other medical mistakes. Yet those situations are often overlooked, and in many cases families struggle to hold hospitals or doctors accountable. Adults should have the right to choose the type of care they want, especially when they are seeking alternative or natural treatments by choice.
Interesting take...
That is a thought-provoking comment. Growing up in the deeply rooted Amish world of Holmes County, Ohio in the 50’s and 60’s, this Amish homestyle medical care was commonplace. Everyone knew about it and it was never questioned or viewed as “illegal”. I’d also wager his community has never sued Mr. Gingerich when things go wrong. Leave these people alone!!
well said Christine.