Statement on Kimberly Casey Coden-Diskin Sentencing

Dr. Bogners Statement Regarding Casey Diskin’s Prosecution

Includes clarifications of associations

On December 3rd, 2024, I stood in the Livingston County Courthouse alongside courageous parents who have spent years seeking justice for their children defrauded by Casey Diskin and the Oxford Recovery Center, now The Oxford Center (ORC). Casey Diskin, a convicted felon who Dr. Tami Peterson hired to create and lead Oxford’s Autism Program, was sentenced to prison on multiple charges, marking the end of a long, three-year battle for justice.

Casey’s felony convictions included:

• 4-6 years’ incarceration for six counts of Unauthorized Practice of a Health Profession;
• 4-7.5 years’ incarceration for two counts of Identity Theft; and
• 4-6 years’ incarceration for one count of Bribing, Intimidating a Witness.

Kimberly Casey Coden-Diskin’s Sentencing

After being courted by the Doctor of Philosophy, Tami Peterson, to lead The Oxford Center as the Medical Director for 3.5 years, I feel it is important to clarify my role, distance myself from any involvement in Casey’s illegal activities and to silence my involvement in any future speculations or accusations of fraudulent practices that may yet to be uncovered. There are numerous articles you can research and read written by reputable new outlets: like Crains Detroit whom did a feature and pulled back the veils of The Oxford Center. Do no let my words alone speak – do your research to discover the story this far and how it develops.

To ensure full transparency for my patients, their parents and those who’s medical journey’s I’ve touched during my tenure at ORC I am sharing my statement with 44th Circuit Court Judge Suzanne Geddis and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Your Honor, I stand before you today as a father, a physician, and an advocate for children with autism. My life has been dedicated to helping others, especially children and their families, and that commitment began long before I entered medical school. At the age of 12, I observed my father, an OB-GYN in Germany, performing a cesarean section. That profound experience ignited a lifelong passion for caring for others. Over the years, I have assisted thousands of women during childbirth, intubated newborn babies, calculated their feedings in neonatal intensive care units, and completed pediatric rotations, all with the aim of giving children the best start in life.

For the past seven years, my professional focus has been exclusively on families affected by autism. I love children, and I have four of my own, including my 19-year-old son with severe autism. He is nonverbal and faces significant behavioral challenges, much like the one-third of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are affected in this way. My personal and professional medical journeys are deeply intertwined. Since his diagnosis, every decision I have made as a physician has been driven by the desire to improve the lives of children like my son and their parents.

In 2018, I was courted by Dr. Tami Paterson to join the Oxford Recovery Center as its Medical Director. After six years of medical school, four years of residency, and over a decade in hospital practice, I saw this role as an opportunity to make a lasting impact on families dealing with autism. I envisioned creating a program that combined biomedical approaches with therapies designed to improve outcomes for children. I joined the center with hope in my heart and a belief that I could make a difference. But my time there was far from what I had imagined. After three and a half years, I uncovered a web of deception, greed, and betrayal that has left lasting scars on me, my family, and many other parents and patients of The Oxford Center.

Oxford Recovery Center was a place where the trust of vulnerable families was exploited, and accusation of children under their watch harmed. It is my opinion that ORC prioritized profit over care, with leadership knowingly allowing an unqualified and convicted felon to take on roles of immense responsibility, putting the welfare of children at risk. One of the most egregious examples of this betrayal was Casey Diskin. Casey joined Oxford around the same time I did, presenting herself as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). This role is critical in overseeing insurance-covered behavioral therapy for children with autism, requiring rigorous training, certification, and adherence to the highest ethical standards. I trusted that leadership within ORC had done its due diligence in her hire and role. Casey was responsible for running the ABA program, negotiating with insurance companies, and supervising other BCBA-trained professionals.

In the summer of 2021, I discovered the devastating truth: Casey was not a BCBA, moreso was committing identity theft of a real BCBA named Kimberly Peck. Casey was a convicted felon with no qualifications to hold this position. Her entire professional identity at The Oxford Center was built on lies leading to the harm of many patients caused by this deception is immeasurable. By the time this truth came to light, Oxford had grown from a 3,000-square-foot office to a 70,000-square-foot enterprise. Parents like Kim Harden, whose daughter Kennedy was my patient, began uncovering troubling issues. Kim discovered bruises on her nonverbal, severely autistic daughter and requested to see surveillance footage to understand what had happened. She was denied. The CEO, Tami Peterson, dismissed Harden’s concerns, calling her “crazy” and referring to her daughter as “mad.” When I confronted Tami Paterson and requested to see the footage of the my patient’s alleged abuse I was also denied access. Kennedy was patient under my care at ORC. I was now blocked from accessing her medical records and the video evidence that could have clarified any accusations. This wasn’t just unethical—it was a betrayal of the highest order. It was the largest breach of trust I have experienced in my medical career spanning a decade. 

I immediately requested a meeting with the CEO, Tami Paterson and the executive team, including Ms Diskin, then COO Gary Marken (Advisory Board of Director for The Oxford Foundation), and Operation Manager and son to Tami Peterson, Blake Powell. I demanded truth and accountability. I told them that one of us, Casey or I, needed to be fired immediately. To my disbelief, Dr. Paterson admitted full knowledge of her criminal past and they chose to stand behind her. Tami said that “as Christians’ we forgive” and believed that Casey had repented her sins to God. They accused me of lying and threatened legal action if I spoke to Kim Harden. They informed me that Kennedy was no longer my patient. At that moment, it became clear that protecting their reputation and profits mattered more to them than the truth or the well-being of the children in their care.

The toxic culture at The Oxford Center extended far beyond Ms Diskin. The building was under constant surveillance, with cameras in every room except the bathrooms. Employees, including myself, were monitored at all times. I frequently noticed that my private consultations with patients were being scrutinized, as I was often confronted about what I said during these meetings. After being terminated from Oxford, I spoke to numerous former employees who confirmed that this level of surveillance was pervasive and used as a tool of intimidation and control. It was not just an invasion of privacy, it was a method of silencing dissent and maintaining a stranglehold on anyone who questioned their practices. Oxford aggressively pushed for most children to receive the maximum of 40 hours of ABA therapy per week, regardless of individual needs. This approach was not about providing appropriate care—it was about maximizing revenue.

Desperate for answers, I texted Casey, pleading with her to leave ORC. I told her it would be best for everyone, for her family, her children, and the families she had harmed. I asked her to persuade the CEO to stop sending attorneys after me. Casey never responded. Her silence spoke volumes about her lack of accountability and remorse. She hoped that with me gone, the noise would stop, and she could continue as though nothing had happened.

I later learned that Casey manipulated billing practices, altering reports to secure maximum insurance reimbursements. The full extent of this deception is still unfolding. Currently, a civil lawsuit alleges even more troubling practices, such as coercing employees to impersonate parents to secure clients for their ABA services. These actions caused untold harm to the children and families who placed their trust in Oxford.

With my termination the retaliation was swift. I was accused of abandoning my patients, violating non-compete clauses, and even accused of using illegal drugs with another parent, who is here today, Mr Zahringer. I faced relentless legal threats from multiple law firms, warning me not to practice within 50 miles of their centers and threatening police action if I returned to collect my belongings. I incurred upwards $15,000 in legal fees to defend myself. I was forced to sell my car and filed for unemployment. The stress caused by the situation Ms. Diskin caused was overwhelming, and I developed a heart arrhythmia requiring medical treatment.

My patients were lied to and told by ORC representatives that I left due to family problems. I had nightmares of children being abused, and to this day, not a day goes by that I don’t think about the parents who were victimized and defrauded. To those families, I offer my deepest and sincerest apology for not having vetted your child’s caregiver more thoroughly.

Despite everything, I refused to stay silent. In my final week at Oxford, I gathered evidence and spoke to former employees who confirmed my suspicions. After leaving, I learned that two BCBA employees had raised concerns about Casey’s credentials a year earlier, only to be threatened into silence by the CEO. To those who stayed quiet, I ask: How could your fear outweigh your duty to protect the children you served? The pain I carry is different to the pain you will have to carry for the rest of your lives. While you may escape judgment in a court of law, you will not escape judgment before God.

Your Honor, parents of children with autism already bear immense burdens. Our children cannot communicate effectively, often have severe behavioral challenges, and struggle with basic needs like feeding and toileting. When parents turn to a place like Oxford, it is out of desperation and hope. We don’t expect miracles, but we do expect honesty, competence, and care. That trust was shattered. I am ashamed to have been associated with Oxford Recovery Center.

Although my work focused on biomedical approaches and I was not involved in the day-to-day operations of the ABA program lead by Ms. Diskin, I still feel a profound sense of responsibility. I did what I could after finding all this out and seeked guidance with LARA, and then the Attorney General’s office. As the investigation unfolded and cracks open into the news cycles, the consequences of what occurred at ORC will likely cast a dark shadow on ABA practices nationwide. This may lead parents to withdraw their children from these services prematurely, creating yet another negative consequence for those who depend on this type of therapy.

Nothing in life is more important than protecting and defending our children. This is our duty. And each of you parents in court today can be proud of yourselves for standing up for your child’s best possible life and hopefully for others as well. I now, after many years, understand that your children know what you have fought for. I have no doubt in my mind that they were guiding us all along. I want to thank all of you here today. Your strength and resilience inspire me, and I am proud to stand with you.

I also want to thank Mark Lewandowsky and Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Carley for their unwavering support, advocacy, empathy and, delivering justice. They have stood by the patients of The Oxford Center, their parents whom are their voices, guided us, and fought tirelessly for justice. You are the finest investigators this state has produced, and I will always remember you as our true defenders at the gates of justice.

Your Honor, this case is about more than Casey Diskin. It is about systemic failures with regulatory licensing boards like LARA, corporate screening with new hires and the harm they have caused to vulnerable children and their families. This court has the opportunity to send a powerful message: that such behavior will not be tolerated. Our children cannot yet speak for themselves, so for now, we are their voice. The stories you are about to hear are deeply painful. Yet, only by confronting this pain can we begin the journey toward healing.

Kimberly Casey Coden-Diskin Sentencing Conclusion

As noted by Judge Geddis, Fox News, and Mrs. Diskin’s attorney, there is mention of an individual within the organization who is under investigation for their alleged involvement. It is my hope as in Ms. Diskin’s case, any actions deemed necessary by any future investigation will be addressed and properly dealt with to the fullest extent of the law in due time.

~ Dr. Christian Bogner

Further Information

• Woman running autism programs at Brighton Oxford Center is convicted felon, has fake credentials

• MiBAP Statement on Allegations of ABA Fraud, Waste & Abuse at Oxford Recovery Center

• Oakland County Woman to Stand Trial on Unauthorized Practice of a Health Profession, Identity Theft, and Witness Intimidation Charges – MI AG Press Release
• Director of Oxford Recovery Autism Center  Pleads Guilty to the Unauthorized Practice of a Health Profession, Identity Theft, and Witness Intimidation
• Felon charged for posing as a certified therapist at autism treatment center after FOX 2 investigation
• Felon sentenced for posing as certified therapist at Michigan autism treatment center
• The fringe autism therapy behind Brighton’s Oxford Recovery Center – Crains Detroit

• Former Oxford autism treatment center director of Brighton pleads guilty to 9 felony counts – Crains Detroit Business

• Woman accused of treating kids with autism using false credentials pleads guilty – Detroit Free Press

• Former director of Oxford Recovery autism center pleads guilty to unauthorized practice

• Woman pleads guilty to impersonating therapist, identity theft in Livingston County – MLive

• Director of Michigan autism center pleads guilty to impersonating health professional, witness intimidation – CBS News

• Kimberly Casey Codin Diskin Instagram
• Oxford Recovery Center Lawsuit