Phony Doctor Tied to Funds for Democrats

NEW YORK — A bogus doctor who sold aspirin as a cancer cure donated $12,500 to the Democratic Party at a May fund-raiser attended by President Clinton, a published report said Tuesday.

Aiwah Qi, who bragged about her ties to Clinton, held up a bottle of pills as she was photographed with the president at the fund-raising dinner, the New York Daily News said. The White House on Monday refused to release the photograph to the newspaper.

A photographer hired by the Democratic National Committee for the event said a White House aide told him to surrender the film or make sure the photo wasn’t sent to anyone, including Qi.

The dinner was held at a Washington hotel a month before the newspaper reported that Qi was selling aspirin at $160 a bottle as a cure for liver cancer and hepatitis.

Amy Weiss Tobe, a DNC spokeswoman, said former party fund-raiser John Huang organized the event for 100 Asian American donors. DNC files show Qi gave $12,500 on May 17.

Shortly after the newspaper’s story was published last June, Qi was cited by the New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs for falsely advertising in Chinese-language papers as a doctor. She settled the case by paying a $1,000 fine.