Judge Nixes Newspaper Ads In Cancer Doc Case
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - The government can't use newspaper ads to reach out to people who may have been treated by an Oakland County cancer doctor charged with fraud.
Detroit federal Judge Paul Borman says the legal notices could poison the pool of potential jurors against Dr. Farid Fata. The judge says there are other ways of reaching patients.
Fata is accused of misdiagnosing patients and ordering unnecessary treatments to enrich himself through Medicare and other insurance programs. The government says some patients were repeatedly exposed to powerful drugs despite having no cancer. Fata denies it.
The government claims the scheme bilked Medicare about of $225 million.
Fata is returning to court Wednesday to try to get his $9 million bond reduced to $500,000. He's been in jail since August. The government opposes his release.
Fata, a native of Lebanon, could lose his U.S. citizenship if the government proves he was committing health fraud when he applied in 2008.
Click here to catch up on this case.
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