Rubens Farias Jr.

Who is Rubens Farias Jr.?

Rubens Farias Jr. is a Brazilian psychic surgeon, who claims to be a channel for the spirit of Dr. Fritz. His clinic is in Bom Sucesso, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro.

Rubens was trained as an engineer.

He is not the first Brazilian to make the claim. He follows Zé Arigó, who died in a car crash in 1971, and a string of other claimants. Farias began claiming reincarnation as early as 1986. On a typical weekday, as many as 800 patients will line up outside the hall he uses, waiting for treatment sessions which might be as short as 30 seconds. While in character as Dr. Fritz, he adopts a German accent and expressions such as "Schnell!" In some cases, patients get a homemade injection, reportedly a mixture of alcohol, iodine and turpentine. Medical hygiene is minimal.

The Regional Medical Council for the state of Rio de Janeiro labels Farias a "charlatan" taking advantage of the chaotic Brazilian public health system, and has sued to halt his activities.