A Detroit-area hematologist-oncologist pleaded guilty today for his role in a health care fraud scheme, admitting that he administered unnecessary chemotherapy to fraudulently bill the Medicare program and private insurance companies. According to court records, the scheme enabled the doctor to submit approximately $225 million in claims to Medicare over six years.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade of the Eastern District of Michigan, Special Agent in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office and Chief Richard Weber of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
Farid Fata, M.D., 49, of Oakland Township, Michigan, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman of the Eastern District of Michigan to 13 counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay or receive kickbacks and two counts of money laundering. At his sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 23, 2014, Fata faces a statutory maximum of 175 years in prison.
