Laser Eye Surgeon Michael Mockovak Offers Informant $25,000 to Kill Business Partner
UPDATE: Mockovak pleads not-guilty. Details after the jump.
Dr. Mockovak allegedly wanted Russian Mafiosos to "take care" of his Clearly Lasik co-owner.
In the spring of 2008, Daniel Kultin, a Russian emigre and IT guy for Clearly Lasik in Renton, got a weird request from his boss. Dr. Michael Mockovak, a 51-year-old eye surgeon from Newcastle and co-founder of Clearly Lasik, wanted to know if Kultin had any Russian mafia contacts. The reason: Mockovak wanted to "resolve his issues" with a former employee currently suing Mockovak.
Kultin laughed off Mockovak's question. But a year and a half later, what started as a joke has now turned very serious, according to King County prosecutors.
According to Kultin, Mockovak's beef was with Brad Klock. The former professional hockey player and president of Clearly Lasik sued Mockovak for wrongful termination after he was fired in 2007.
Kultin told investigators that Mockovak would get angry anytime the doctor had a court date or had to pay an attorney's bill. Once, Mockovak cornered Kultin in the break room to tell him Klock would be traveling to Germany and that it would be the perfect time and place to have him "eliminated."
It was around this time that Kultin decided he'd best rat out his boss.
Clearly Lasik Mockovak was planning on killing Joseph King while the doctor was on a family vacation in Australia.
Kultin began meeting with a Seattle FBI agent. The agent told him to use a trip to Los Angeles as a pretense to talking to Mockovak about those Mafia connections he was interested in. That's when things got even weirder.
When Kultin met Mockovak at his office the doctor asked to talk outside. There, in the parking lot, Mockovak told him that it wasn't just Klock who was rubbing him the wrong way; Mockovak was also having problems with his business partner, Dr. Joseph King.
King and Mockovak had married a pair of sisters. But after Mockovak's divorce their relationship had been strained. Now they were talking about splitting the business.
Mockovak told Kultin that there was a $5 million dollar life insurance policy out on King. If King became a "stumbling block," they could not only eliminate him, they'd also get rich in the bargain since Mockovak was the sole beneficiary.
From there, Kultin, advised by the FBI, told Mockovak that a boyhood friend had connections with a Russian Crime group who, for $25,000 could arrange to have King murdered in what would look like a carjacking "gone bad."
At a November 6th meeting at Maggiano's in Bellevue, Mockovak told Kultin he wanted the assassination to take place while King was on a family vacation in Australia. He said King usually jogged about five miles every day. In Australia he'd probably run on the beach, said Mockovak, and an ocean drowning sounded like a "not bad" way to get rid of him.
Invesitagors arrested Mockovak last Thursday morning while he was at a gym. He was released Saturday on $1 million bail then rearrested Monday afternoon and is being held on $3 million bail.
King and his family recently returned from their trip to Australia. Investigators say they're now living in an area hotel where they're, understandably, still fearing for their safety.
UPDATE: Clearly Lasik's eight offices brought in $17 million in revenue in 2007 but "only" $10 million in 2008.
Mockovak and King also apparently only live blocks from each other in Newcastle. The two were so close, charging papers say, they knew each other's alarm codes.
Which just begs the question: If Mockovak's Russian Mafia hitmen scheme had actually gone off without a hitch, how long did he think it'd take cops to start looking at him as the prime suspect?
UPDATE: Mockovak's lawyer asked for a reduction in bail so the good doctor could get back to work. The judge declined.
Mockovak is being held on $2 million bail. If he makes it, he has to stay at least a half mile away from any Clearly Lasik, King's home or the schools that King's kids attend.
In other words, since Mockovak and King live only a few blocks away, it might be best for everyone if the surgeon stays in the slammer.
32 comment(s)
Me says:
Wow, I hear Clearly Lasik's radio commercials all the time on KIRO radio.
Clearly, the doctor should have known better. But hindsight is 20/20...
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 3:47PM
wes says:
Mockovak tried to kill King!!!!
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 3:55PM
Anonymous says:
This guy performed my eye surgery...ick! He touched my eyeballs!
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 4:13PM
Anonymous says:
No pics anywhere of mockovak??
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 4:21PM
Anonymous says:
I know them both. I would expect that from Joe King, not Mike M. I would not doubt it if King is framing Mockovak to get HIM out of the business!! Too Crazy to believe.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 4:49PM
Erin says:
He did my Lasik twice back in 2006. I had astigmatism so it took twice to get it right. This is really disgusting to me! Go to a different clinic to get Lasik would be my recommendation.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 4:56PM
Monica says:
My husband and I both had our surgeries there. We were pleased with our care, and I would get any revisions done there. It's a darn shame this happened. Greed makes the world go 'round.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 5:43PM
Anonymous says:
My husband and I know Dr. Mockovak and his ex wife. We believe this story after seeing how he treated his ex wife & daughter ... they held meetings at their home and she was very quiet and and he was such a creep, totally CREEPY and such a chauvinist...never helped with the daughter.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 6:00PM
Seattle says:
Blaming the victim when there is enough evidence to press charges. Give me a break, "Anonymous" Must be a friend of the accused.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 6:52PM
Bellevue says:
I'm thinking of an obvious Office Space reference.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 6:55PM
Christina says:
I had my eye surgery at his Tri Cities office. this is just so creepy!
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 9:06PM
AA says:
Anonymous, check out Mockovack's Facebook profile - his main picture there is of him with his daughter. Doesn't look like such a bad guy.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 10:09PM
Tweaker says:
This just goes to show:
Never, ever, ever, EVER! have business partners. Especially a relative!
Been there, done that, dodged the bullet.
Stupid is, as stupid does....
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 7:07AM
HugoKirzner says:
What about anyone else that was in litigation with Mockavak? Mockavak is such an alleged loser.
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 7:16AM
anonymous says:
I used to work with Mockovak. This surprises me but does not shock me. He has a very warped value system, does not know the difference between right and wrong, and is in love with money. Sad for his daughter.
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 8:23AM
Anonymous says:
I just had my surgery there by Dr King, 3 weeks ago. This is very shocking to me.
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 8:33AM
JS says:
I have known Dr.Mockovak and Dr.King for a long time. They both seemed like really nice guys. I have been to both of their homes and I have even babysat their children. I was supposed to job shadow Dr.Mockovak the day after he was arrested, obviously that didn't happen. Everything I have ever seen at Clearly Lasik has been good. All of the employees are hardworkers and care a lot about their patients. Cleary no one saw this scandal coming from Dr.Mockovak. I agree this is so sad for his daughter):
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 10:22AM
Jenny says:
WOW! I had my laser surgery done by him! and so did my sister and several other friends!
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 10:25AM
Anonymous says:
damn this is shocking
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 7:35PM
Christi says:
I worked there for a couple of years with all these people. Dr. M also did my lasik surgery. At first I thought, "NO WAY...HE'S BEEN FRAMED..." but it sounds like there's a lot of evidence against him that would be really hard to falsify. Wow, this is so crazy. The former CEO, the guy who's suing him was a real piece of work. So was the CFO...those two were the reasons I left. I knew these people - stranger than fiction, that's for sure.
Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 17 2009 @ 10:53PM
Brenda says:
My Thought on this is ,Dr Mockovac ,should not have let his mind take over in such an evil way.I am Happy that there were no deaths. I feel so sad for Dr.Mockovac He had it all,and now he is left with nothing but regret. At least I am hoping he feels regret.My sister works at one of the clinics,and I feel for all who work for them because they trusted in Dr.Mockovac, Now they are all left with saddened hearts.and are right in the middle of this miss. To the Doctors and families,and all employees I will be Praying for you. God Bless you all.
Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 18 2009 @ 5:22PM
Anon. says:
Its a shame when money turns a person into such a scumbag. Joe King is a great guy and the person who said different above doesn't know him at all. I always thought Mike was different but I never would have thought he would resort to something like murder for hire. Pray for his daughter.
Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 18 2009 @ 6:31PM
Anonymous says:
I read the charging papers and it looks like bad news for Dr. Mockovak. I can see a defense argument that he was just dragged into it by the informant.
Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 18 2009 @ 7:19PM
pprclips says:
Holy crap! He did my Lasik surgery like 7 years ago in Kennewick! How scary!!!
Posted On: Thursday, Nov. 19 2009 @ 8:59AM
bigyaz says:
Based on your headline it's pretty clear he's already been tried and convicted. Ever heard of the word allegedly? It may help you when you get sued for libel.
(I have no connection and wouldn't know this guy if I bumped into him due to my pre-Lasik vision, but he's still innocent at this point.)
Posted On: Thursday, Nov. 19 2009 @ 3:58PM
Dr. Good says:
I don't know either.
I think we need to be opened to him being framed or set up. This Russian IT guy sounds suspicious.
Of course it might be all truth that Dr. M is guilty.
Don't taint the jury - everyone needs to be open minded.
Posted On: Thursday, Nov. 19 2009 @ 7:31PM
anonymous says:
Dr. M did my lasik surgery 2 years ago. When I involuntarily jerked my head before the surgery started, he got really angry--so much so it scared me. He was mad that I was slowing him down. The guy makes bank doing these 15 minute procedures yet acts this way. Jerk. Every other aspect of my experience at Clearly Lasik was fantastic.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 23 2009 @ 11:36PM
anonymous says:
Wow! I was in King's Renton office a week ago for a consultation. At the time I did not know he was the surgeon involved in this case. Makes me wonder if I should cancel my pending surgery with the good doctor and find someone else to do it...
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 15 2009 @ 9:32PM
Annon. says:
I know Mike Mockovak, obviously not well, I am in shock. He told me about the wrongful termination case and about the fight with Dr. King but he did not sound particularly venomous toward either party (he sounded more bitter toward his ex-wife). He does love and care for his daughter, she is the true victim, if only he thought of her first.
Posted On: Wednesday, Dec. 30 2009 @ 9:32PM
Anonymous says:
there is no way in hell he did this. he obviously got framed. he got framed. he's not the type of guy that would do this. he loves his daughter way too much to screw his life up like this. his daughter was everything, i believe something else is behind this.
Posted On: Wednesday, Jan. 6 2010 @ 8:29PM
anonymous says:
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/412344_hire16.html
Posted On: Tuesday, Jan. 12 2010 @ 11:02PM
LASIKRecipient says:
For those who say he was framed-- seriously I think there is a whole LOT of evidence against him. He dug his own hole. I had LASIK there last year with Dr King and he did a great job. I had met Mochavac but felt Dr K was a better fit for me. Prayers go out to everyone involved...how could anyone feel secure after something like this
Posted On: Saturday, Jan. 30 2010 @ 9:55AM