351:(FBI) stepped in on a tip from George Karadsheh, an MHO office manager. Karadsheh grew suspicious after clinical staff and other doctors began giving their notice without explanation and leaving the practice. When Karadsheh asked Maunglay why he was leaving, he told him that Fata kept insisting on aggressive chemo regimens, even for patients who did not need it. Karadsheh did not believe Maunglay at first, since he was aware of other clinical staff who provided care and oversight. However, Karadsheh recalled that many staff had expressed concerns about Fata's aggressive regimen.
307:
much shorter periods, thus allowing him to prescribe unnecessarily high volumes of drugs. Swantek believed Fata was deliberately billing patients' insurance companies for more money, a classic fraud scenario. She complained to state authorities, but got no response until 2011, when she got a form letter under the authority of Bureau of Health
Professions Acting Director Rae Ramsdell, of the State of Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, saying that there was no evidence to support an investigation into Fata.
314:—a condition that required a lifetime of chemo for her to have any chance of survival. On July 1, hours after her first round of chemo, Flagg broke her leg in two places. Fata was on vacation in Lebanon at the time. One of the doctors at MHO, Soe Maunglay, saw Flagg in the hospital that day and was stunned to see that her readings were completely normal. As he put it, he could tell "just by looking at the chart" that Flagg's numbers were not consistent with an active cancer patient.
332:. He also believed that since Flagg was far healthier on paper than a typical myeloma patient, the insurance payments would continue flowing to Fata for the rest of his life. Maunglay went to see Flagg the following day, and informed her she did not have cancer. He further advised her to get her records right away and find another doctor, and that she should never seek treatment from Fata again.
423:, and unlawfully procuring naturalization. The last charge was added because McQuade contended Fata had concealed the extent of his fraud from immigration authorities when he applied for citizenship. If he had been convicted on all charges, Fata would have faced a maximum of 175 years in prison, plus the prospect of having his naturalization revoked.
355:
Karadsheh that she discovered that in one week, 38 out of 40 patients did not need or did not qualify for the drug. She took this information to
Maunglay, who disclosed it to Karadsheh during his investigation. Karadsheh took his findings to the Detroit office of the FBI and sued Fata, MHO, and several related entities under the
340:, a drug intended to treat patients with specific immune deficiencies, when there was no apparent medical basis for it. Maunglay persuaded a nurse and a nurse practitioner to confront Fata. When Fata agreed to curb the use of IVIG, Maunglay believed that this was further evidence that Fata was a fraud. Later, he explained to the
461:
crimes. The sentence Borman imposed is barely one-fourth of what prosecutors sought, and was deemed insufficient by many of Fata's victims. McQuade publicly thanked
Maunglay and Karadsheh for exposing what she described as "the most serious fraud case in the history of the country". Fata also faces myriad
452:
Fata's sentencing hearing began on July 3, 2015. At the hearing, dozens of Fata's victims revealed how the unnecessary chemotherapy treatments had harmed them. For example, Robert
Sobieray lost nearly all of his teeth after being falsely diagnosed with blood cancer and still twitched uncontrollably.
306:
out of court in 2009. In 2010, veteran oncology nurse Angela
Swantek went to MHO for an interview, but was stunned to see practices that her experience told her were "plain wrong". Swantek believed that Fata was pumping patients with drugs in hour-long chemotherapy sessions that should normally last
439:
on
September 20, 2014. He pleaded guilty to thirteen counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and two counts of money laundering. In return, the immigration charges were dropped. Nonetheless, McQuade sought the maximum possible sentence of 175 years in
336:
case, even as egregious as it was, would not be enough to shut down Fata's clinic, he needed to find more evidence of misconduct. Maunglay searched MHO's patient records and found numerous instances of unethical and potentially illegal behavior. For instance, Fata was treating several patients with
460:
On July 10, 2015, Fata addressed the court for the first time. He said he was "horribly ashamed" of his behavior, and admitted giving in to a "self-destructive" quest for power and wealth. Borman was unmoved and sentenced Fata to 45 years in prison, saying that Fata had committed "huge, horrific"
479:
Fata requested that his guilty plea be tossed in May 2018, based on the assertion that he received poor legal advice that resulted in his guilty plea and that he has always maintained his innocence, despite his admission of guilt during his sentencing hearing. He stated in the filing, "My guilty
335:
Maunglay was already due to leave MHO the following month after catching Fata lying about the clinic's enrollment in a professional quality program. However, after discovering that a healthy woman was being given unnecessary chemotherapy, he felt that he needed to stop Fata. Knowing that Flagg's
354:
Karadsheh conducted his own investigation and interviewed several staff. The first thing he noticed was that Fata's treatment-to-consultation ratio was different from those of other doctors. Karadsheh went back to
Maunglay, who suggested that he check on Fata's use of IVIG. A nurse reported to
289:
Fata's wife, Samar, helped run the business side of his practice as chief executive officer and chief financial officer of his companies. While authorities believe she was a party to the fraud, she was able to move back to
Lebanon after her husband's arrest; they have since divorced.
457:, and the stress of finding out about Fata's deceit gave her high blood pressure. Another patient, "C. C.", said that due to 177 unnecessary chemo treatments, she had problems with her bladder, bowel and kidneys so serious that she could no longer perform basic tasks.
281:
facility. At its peak, Fata's practice was treating 17,000 patients at its clinics. Fata acquired a sterling reputation as one of the best cancer specialists in the
Detroit area. He was known for his aggressive approach to treatment, giving higher doses of
736:
May 13, 2011… File # 116716… After a thorough review of your allegation which included an investigation conducted by a bureau investigator, violations of the Public Health Code could not be established… Accordingly, the file has been
359:
on August 5; he was thus entitled to a significant financial reward. Maunglay said that
Karadsheh had done "a great service" because of his past experience detecting fraud. Fata was arrested the next day for health care fraud.
327:
can start with minor changes in blood chemistry—minor enough that a dishonest doctor can use chemo to avoid detection. Maunglay estimated that if another doctor had seen Flagg within two months, she would have appeared to be in
1078:
404:
387:
Federal investigators amassed evidence that Fata had bullied or deceived 553 people into getting chemotherapy treatments they did not need, causing the patients' insurance companies and
302:. Dorsey had been diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and seven months of chemotherapy had made it difficult for her to walk. She then learned that she did not have cancer. The case was
673:
The Feds acknowledge they believe she has been intimately involved in the day-to-day running of his businesses. … while not charged… the government has continued it's [
1093:
1005:
1098:
469:
399:
and poured Medicare and private insurance proceeds into his own diagnostic testing facility, where he ordered unnecessary tests. On the basis of these findings,
1073:
465:. Karadsheh announced in January 2016 that he had reached a $ 1.7 million settlement. Maunglay, who did not file a lawsuit, will not take any financial reward.
755:
317:
The next day, Maunglay went to MHO and reviewed Flagg's records, and could find nothing in her test results that could justify a chemo regimen. He later told
662:
564:
504:
covered the Fata case, with an emphasis on Karadsheh's and Maungley's roles in exposing the fraud. In 2020, Fata became the subject of season 2 the podcast
798:
979:
861:
440:
prison. Her office denounced Fata as "the most egregious fraudster in the history of this country", calling his crimes more egregious than those of
380:
to raise Fata's bond to $ 9 million. He was confined to jail pending trial; had he been released, he would have been confined to his home in
899:
953:
212:
824:
639:
499:
372:. However, federal authorities found evidence that he and his wife had assets of $ 9 million not yet seized, and feared that the high
96:
87:
191:
family. After obtaining a medical degree there in 1992, he emigrated to the United States to begin his medical career. Fata served a
161:
to patients who were healthy or whose condition did not warrant chemotherapy, then submitting $ 34 million in fraudulent charges to
480:
pleas were not the result of my actually being guilty. From day one to the present, I have steadfastly maintained my innocence."
1083:
717:
489:
348:
880:
1063:
1088:
843:
691:
381:
251:
243:
565:"Detroit Area Doctor Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Providing Medically Unnecessary Chemotherapy to Patients"
344:
that an honest doctor would never cut back on his own protocol solely because of staff and physician objections.
235:
196:
591:
454:
388:
224:
162:
473:
1058:
228:
188:
92:
540:
1068:
923:
329:
1006:"Whistleblower exposes doctor accused of prescribing chemotherapy to patients who don't have cancer"
919:
774:
506:
299:
278:
247:
220:
847:
416:
392:
263:
169:
927:
778:
412:
192:
149:
in U.S. history. Fata was the owner of Michigan Hematology-Oncology (MHO), one of the largest
146:
1010:
884:
802:
759:
420:
373:
356:
324:
319:
311:
303:
259:
204:
173:
114:
168:
Fata pleaded guilty in 2014 to charges of health care fraud, conspiring to pay and receive
400:
130:
623:
391:
to pay $ 34 million in fraudulent and unnecessary claims. They also found that Fata took
453:
Patty Hester lost much of her hair after being falsely told she was terminally ill with
722:
494:
267:
255:
1052:
441:
239:
792:
790:
788:
545:
431:
Facing the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison and the prospect of
283:
274:
158:
61:
46:
844:"Judge orders $ 9-million bond for cancer doctor, says he can't practice medicine"
775:"Lawsuit filed against convicted Oakland Township oncologist by employee unsealed"
298:
Concerns about Fata cropped up as early as 2007, when Maggie Dorsey sued Fata for
234:
Fata struck out on his own in 2003, opening Michigan Hematology–Oncology (MHO) in
980:"Greed Report: The diagnosis is bad. Should a second opinion be your first step?"
663:"Million dollar question for judge in Fata bond hearing: $ 9 million or $ 25,000"
727:
436:
432:
376:
of these assets could make him a high flight risk. They persuaded federal judge
462:
435:
to Lebanon if he were ever released, Fata pleaded guilty before federal judge
408:
138:
81:
50:
900:"Farid Fata Gets 45 Years in Prison for Scamming Hundreds of Cancer Patients"
369:
216:
165:
and private health insurance companies over a period of at least six years.
920:"Ex-employee settles suit against Dr. Fata, oncologist who mistreated many"
488:
Fata's story was featured in the first half of the September 2016 episode "
411:
against Fata. They culminated in a 23-count indictment charging Fata with
904:
696:
377:
208:
200:
154:
142:
286:
drugs at a more frequent rate—a protocol he called "European protocol".
396:
185:
35:
1026:
150:
176:. On July 10, 2015, he was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison.
954:"Cancer doctor: I was duped into guilty plea, toss my conviction"
940:
865:
731:
667:
337:
1079:
Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government
238:. Over the next decade, MHO grew to seven locations throughout
862:"Michigan cancer doctor Farid Fata pleads guilty to 16 counts"
675:
550:
207:, from 1993 to 1996. He then served as a fellow in hematology–
898:
Kathryn Nathanson; Anna Schechter; Jon Schuppe (2015-07-10).
592:"Patients give horror stories as cancer doctor gets 45 years"
93:
Conspiracy to pay or receive kickbacks (42 U.S.C. § 1320a–7b)
825:"Govt. fights to keep Dr. Farid Fata in jail with $ 9M bond"
476:. His earliest possible release will be December 11, 2050.
626:
submitted by U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of Michigan
405:
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
881:"Cancer doctor gets 45 years for 'huge, horrific' crimes"
310:
In 2013, Fata diagnosed 54-year-old Monica Flagg with
157:. He was arrested in 2013 on charges of prescribing
110:
102:
79:
67:
57:
42:
28:
21:
16:
Lebanese-American health care fraudster (born 1965)
756:"Whistle-blower: How doctor uncovered nightmare"
619:
617:
615:
613:
470:Federal Correctional Institution, Williamsburg
184:Farid Fata was born in Lebanon in 1965, to a
8:
634:
632:
277:. He owned his own laboratory, pharmacy and
799:"Savvy tipster was key in Dr. Fata's fall"
749:
747:
745:
718:Diagnosis: Blood Money / Chicago Jailbreak
535:
533:
531:
529:
527:
525:
523:
490:Diagnosis: Blood Money / Chicago Jailbreak
18:
1094:Naturalized citizens of the United States
711:
709:
707:
145:and the mastermind of one of the largest
879:Brand-Williams, Oralandar (2015-07-10).
1099:Lebanese emigrants to the United States
519:
137:, born 1965) is a Lebanese-born former
656:
654:
652:
368:Fata was originally held on $ 170,000
213:Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
384:and barred from practicing medicine.
7:
1074:People from Oakland County, Michigan
88:Health care fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1347)
407:, obtained a series of superseding
134:
97:Money laundering (18 U.S.C. § 1956)
692:"Treated for cancer she never had"
14:
978:Cohn, Scott (15 September 2016).
661:Tutman, Paula (August 12, 2013).
640:"Federal indictment against Fata"
468:Fata is serving his sentence at
419:to take and receive kickbacks,
349:Federal Bureau of Investigation
952:Baldas, Tresa (May 22, 2018).
941:https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/
624:Sentencing memorandum for Fata
590:Moghe, Sonia (July 11, 2015).
1:
823:Ray, Lisa (August 12, 2013).
773:Phillips, Dave (2015-06-25).
273:Fata specialized in treating
842:Baldas, Tresa (2013-08-13).
754:Berman, Laura (2015-06-10).
270:U.S. citizen in April 2009.
32:1965 (age 58–59)
1115:
926:. 2016-01-05 – via
726:. Season 10. Episode 18.
347:Several weeks later, the
236:Rochester Hills, Michigan
197:Maimonides Medical Center
120:
75:
569:US Department of Justice
455:myelodysplastic syndrome
225:Geisinger Medical Center
219:until 1999. Fata was an
1033:. Season 2. Episode 1–7
492:", of the crime series
474:Salters, South Carolina
1084:American hematologists
229:Danville, Pennsylvania
242:—in Rochester Hills,
231:, from 2000 to 2003.
180:Early life and career
106:45 years imprisonment
71:Samar Fata (divorced)
1064:Lebanese oncologists
924:The Associated Press
679:] investigation
598:. Cable News Network
498:. A 2018 episode of
1089:American fraudsters
279:radiation treatment
221:attending physician
958:Detroit Free Press
848:Detroit Free Press
728:Kurtis Productions
147:health care frauds
111:Imprisoned at
928:The Oakland Press
779:The Oakland Press
413:health care fraud
127:Farid Tanios Fata
124:
123:
23:Farid Tanios Fata
1106:
1043:
1042:
1040:
1038:
1022:
1016:
1015:
1011:CBS This Morning
1002:
996:
995:
993:
991:
975:
969:
968:
966:
964:
949:
943:
938:
932:
931:
916:
910:
909:
895:
889:
888:
885:The Detroit News
876:
870:
869:
858:
852:
851:
839:
833:
832:
820:
814:
813:
811:
809:
803:The Detroit News
794:
783:
782:
770:
764:
763:
760:The Detroit News
751:
740:
739:
713:
702:
701:
688:
682:
681:
658:
647:
646:
644:
636:
627:
621:
608:
607:
605:
603:
587:
581:
580:
578:
576:
561:
555:
554:
537:
421:money laundering
382:Oakland Township
357:False Claims Act
320:The Detroit News
312:multiple myeloma
266:. Fata became a
252:Sterling Heights
244:Bloomfield Hills
174:money laundering
136:
115:FCI Williamsburg
103:Criminal penalty
84:
19:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1108:
1107:
1105:
1104:
1103:
1049:
1048:
1047:
1046:
1036:
1034:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1014:. 20 July 2018.
1004:
1003:
999:
989:
987:
986:. NBC Universal
977:
976:
972:
962:
960:
951:
950:
946:
939:
935:
918:
917:
913:
897:
896:
892:
878:
877:
873:
860:
859:
855:
841:
840:
836:
822:
821:
817:
807:
805:
797:Berman, Laura.
796:
795:
786:
772:
771:
767:
753:
752:
743:
715:
714:
705:
690:
689:
685:
660:
659:
650:
642:
638:
637:
630:
622:
611:
601:
599:
589:
588:
584:
574:
572:
571:. July 10, 2015
563:
562:
558:
539:
538:
521:
516:
486:
450:
429:
401:Barbara McQuade
395:from two local
366:
296:
182:
135:فريد طانيوس فتى
95:
91:
80:
58:Criminal status
38:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1112:
1110:
1102:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1051:
1050:
1045:
1044:
1017:
997:
970:
944:
933:
911:
890:
871:
853:
834:
815:
784:
765:
741:
730:. 2016-09-15.
723:American Greed
703:
683:
648:
628:
609:
582:
556:
549:. 2015-01-17.
518:
517:
515:
512:
495:American Greed
485:
482:
449:
446:
428:
425:
365:
362:
295:
292:
181:
178:
122:
121:
118:
117:
112:
108:
107:
104:
100:
99:
85:
77:
76:
73:
72:
69:
65:
64:
59:
55:
54:
44:
40:
39:
34:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1111:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1059:Living people
1057:
1056:
1054:
1032:
1028:
1025:Bell, Laura.
1021:
1018:
1013:
1012:
1007:
1001:
998:
985:
981:
974:
971:
959:
955:
948:
945:
942:
937:
934:
929:
925:
921:
915:
912:
907:
906:
901:
894:
891:
886:
882:
875:
872:
868:. 2014-09-20.
867:
863:
857:
854:
849:
845:
838:
835:
830:
826:
819:
816:
804:
800:
793:
791:
789:
785:
780:
776:
769:
766:
761:
757:
750:
748:
746:
742:
738:
733:
729:
725:
724:
719:
712:
710:
708:
704:
700:. 2016-01-15.
699:
698:
693:
687:
684:
680:
678:
677:
670:
669:
664:
657:
655:
653:
649:
641:
635:
633:
629:
625:
620:
618:
616:
614:
610:
597:
593:
586:
583:
570:
566:
560:
557:
552:
548:
547:
542:
536:
534:
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
520:
513:
511:
509:
508:
503:
502:
501:Whistleblower
497:
496:
491:
483:
481:
477:
475:
471:
466:
464:
458:
456:
447:
445:
443:
442:Bernie Madoff
438:
434:
426:
424:
422:
418:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
363:
361:
358:
352:
350:
345:
343:
339:
333:
331:
326:
322:
321:
315:
313:
308:
305:
301:
293:
291:
287:
285:
280:
276:
271:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
240:Metro Detroit
237:
232:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
187:
179:
177:
175:
171:
166:
164:
160:
156:
153:practices in
152:
148:
144:
140:
132:
128:
119:
116:
113:
109:
105:
101:
98:
94:
89:
86:
83:
82:Conviction(s)
78:
74:
70:
66:
63:
60:
56:
52:
48:
45:
43:Occupation(s)
41:
37:
31:
27:
20:
1035:. Retrieved
1030:
1020:
1009:
1000:
988:. Retrieved
983:
973:
961:. Retrieved
957:
947:
936:
914:
903:
893:
874:
856:
837:
828:
818:
806:. Retrieved
768:
735:
721:
695:
686:
674:
672:
666:
600:. Retrieved
595:
585:
573:. Retrieved
568:
559:
546:Dateline NBC
544:
541:"Do No Harm"
505:
500:
493:
487:
478:
467:
459:
451:
430:
386:
367:
353:
346:
341:
334:
318:
316:
309:
297:
288:
284:chemotherapy
275:blood cancer
272:
233:
183:
167:
159:chemotherapy
139:hematologist
126:
125:
62:Incarcerated
47:Hematologist
1069:1965 births
990:14 December
463:civil suits
437:Paul Borman
433:deportation
427:Guilty plea
409:indictments
300:malpractice
268:naturalized
90:(13 counts)
1053:Categories
1037:3 November
1027:"Dr. Fata"
808:24 January
514:References
448:Sentencing
417:conspiracy
364:Indictment
143:oncologist
51:oncologist
1031:Dr. Death
507:Dr. Death
393:kickbacks
374:liquidity
330:remission
248:Clarkston
217:Manhattan
193:residency
170:kickbacks
963:July 21,
905:NBC News
697:NBC News
397:hospices
389:Medicare
378:Sean Cox
264:Oak Park
209:oncology
205:New York
201:Brooklyn
189:Catholic
163:Medicare
155:Michigan
53:(former)
737:closed.
602:23 July
575:23 July
325:myeloma
304:settled
186:Melkite
36:Lebanon
403:, the
260:Lapeer
172:, and
151:cancer
131:Arabic
68:Spouse
643:(PDF)
484:Other
323:that
294:Fraud
1039:2020
992:2016
984:CNBC
965:2018
866:WDIV
829:WDIV
810:2016
732:CNBC
668:WDIV
604:2015
577:2015
370:bond
342:News
338:IVIG
262:and
256:Troy
29:Born
720:".
676:sic
596:CNN
551:NBC
472:in
227:in
223:at
215:in
211:at
199:in
195:at
1055::
1029:.
1008:.
982:.
956:.
922:.
902:.
883:.
864:.
846:.
827:.
801:.
787:^
777:.
758:.
744:^
734:.
706:^
694:.
671:.
665:.
651:^
631:^
612:^
594:.
567:.
543:.
522:^
510:.
444:.
415:,
258:,
254:,
250:,
246:,
203:,
133::
49:,
1041:.
994:.
967:.
930:.
908:.
887:.
850:.
831:.
812:.
781:.
762:.
716:"
645:.
606:.
579:.
553:.
141:/
129:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.