Cancer Doc Charged With Fraud Indicted By Grand Jury
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A cancer doctor accused of intentionally misdiagnosing patients has now been indicted by a grand jury.
The lawyer for a Detroit-area oncologist Dr. Farid Fata, who's charged with fraud, says his client cannot post a $9 million bond.
Attorney Christopher Andreoff made the comment Wednesday, one day after a federal judge ordered bond for Fata be increased from $170,000.
Prosecutors asked for the higher bond for fear Fata, a native of Lebanon, would flee the country. They say FBI tracing shows Fata and his wife have $9 million in liquid assets.
The government said Fata, 48, ripped off Medicare by giving chemotherapy to patients who didn't need it and diagnosing cancer when it wasn't apparent.
Andreoff said his client is innocent and that there's no evidence to prove the government's claims.
He told WWJ Newsradio 950 the feds are taking a very "broad view" that all of the assets held by Fata and his family came are tainted by illegal Medicare funds.
"Unfortunately, 70 percent of the funds that have been received as revenues come from private insurance, co-pay or just payments — and it's not Medicare," Andreoff said.
[View a copy of the indictment]
Fata is being held at the Wayne County jail.
Andreoff said his client must now decide if he wants to file an appeal, or proceed with a probable cause hearing set for next week.
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