RAPID CITY (AP) - An 81-year-old Rapid City man accused of defrauding consumers of nearly $17 million has pleaded not guilty.
The Rapid City Journal reports Robert "Larry" Lytle, purveyor of the QLaser, pleaded not guilty Monday to defrauding consumers through the sale of an allegedly bogus medical device and to secretly continuing to sell the device after he was ordered to stop.
Lytle faces charges including conspiracy, criminal contempt, aiding and abetting, mail fraud, wire fraud and obstruction.
An indictment claims Lytle sold QLasers to mostly older customers for $4,000 to $13,000 since at least 2002. The indictment also alleges that Lytle falsely claimed the devices sold could treat more than 200 conditions, including cancer.
Lytle has been released from custody on numerous conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device. He didn't immediately respond to the newspaper for comment.
