Cancer Doctor Made $17 Million Dollars Giving Chemotherapy to People Who Didn’t Even Have Cancer

Nationwide — Dr. Farid Fata has been sentenced to 45 years in federal prison without parole for violating more than 550 patients’ trust in Oakland County, Michigan. Fata, who owned his own cancer center, was charged with multiple counts of health care fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks.

He repeatedly told non-cancer patients they had cancer, treated them with chemotherapy, and raked inmore than $17 million from fraudulent billings. For those who did have cancer, he either under-treated or over-treated them with drugs – which ever was more profitable.

Before his sentencing, Fata could be seen crying as he told the court that he is “horribly ashamed” and prays for repentance. “I misused my talents … because of power and greed. My quest for power is self-destructive.”

But prosecutors wanted more

U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade’s prosecutors asked for 175 years, the maximum penalty. “Chemotherapy, as you know, is poison,” she said. “Dr. Fata gave poison to people who didn’t even have cancer … to make money.”

Regarding his sentence of just 45 years, she said that it was “close to a life sentence,” and added that she had no idea that this case would be so egregious when they’d started on it.

So how was he caught?

Apparently, George Karadsheh, an office manager for Fata’s cancer center, was the one who blew the whistle. He said he started asking questions after staffers kept quitting the practice, and that’s how he found out that Fata was administering chemotherapy to patients who didn’t need it. He then reported his findings to healthcare authorities.