KGB claims dismissed as fantasy

CLAIMS the KGB gave medical training to a man accused of faking psychiatric qualifications are “totally unbelievable”, a jury was told yesterday.

Gold Coast man Vincent Berg has pleaded not guilty in the Southport District Court to four counts of fraud, two counts of attempted fraud and one count of attempted forgery.

The charges relate to Berg getting a job as an unpaid clinical observer on the Gold Coast in 1999 before starting work in the Townsville Health Service.

In closing arguments yesterday prosecutor Judith Geary told the jury Berg’s tales of KGB involvement were not true.

“It was totally unbelievable,” she said. “It was full of contradictions and you wouldn’t accept it as truth.”

Berg gave evidence on Monday saying he had been trained by the KGB who had taken his credentials for him.

He said he managed to get his diploma back from them when he was approached in 1994 to work for the ABC and SBS. The approach was allegedly made after he received political refugee status in Australia.

Ms Geary yesterday said the evidence showed these claims were “unbelievable”.

She said Berg’s own resume showed he was teaching mathematics in a different city when he claimed he was working in the medical school of a Russian university. The jury is expected to retire this morning.