OAKLAND COUNTY (WWJ) -- Eleven Metro Detroit doctors are among 16 people in Michigan and Ohio sentenced to prison for a health care fraud that included the distribution of 6.6 million opioid doses and $250 million in false billings.
According to the Justice Department and an FBI investigation, a multi-state network of pain clinics participated in this scheme from 2007 to 2018.
WWJ's Jon Hewett reported that the doctors refused to provide patients with opioids unless they agreed to undergo expensive, unnecessary and sometimes painful back injections, know as facet-joint injections.
Court documents show that the doctors used the money to buy gold, jewelry, cars, vacations and tickets to sporting events, like the NBA finals.
Authorities said those selected for the injections were people with drug addictions as well as drug dealers seeking high-dosage prescription drugs, like oxycodone.
“It is unconscionable that doctors and health care professionals would violate their oath to do no harm and exploit vulnerable patients struggling with addiction,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These are not just crimes of greed, these are crimes that make this country’s opioid crisis even worse – and that is why the department will continue to relentlessly pursue these cases.”
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According to court documents, the doctors agreed to work only a few hours a week to “stay under the radar” of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), while they were among the highest prescribers of oxycodone in the state of Michigan.
These back injections were selected because they were among the highest reimbursing procedures and were not based on medical need.
Trial evidence established that the defendant physicians repeatedly performed these unnecessary injections on patients over several years and were paid more for facet joint injections than any other medical clinic in the United States.
Trial testimony revealed that, in some instances, patients experienced more pain from the shots than from the pain they wanted to have treated. Some patients even developed adverse conditions, including open holes in their backs.
“Patients look to physicians and medical professionals for their expertise and knowledge, trusting that they will do what is best to take care of them,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “In this circumstance, these medical professionals provided prescription drugs to those with no medical need. It is unacceptable that in this nation’s current opioid crisis, physicians and medical professionals are exploiting the well-being of their patients for profit."
The proceeds of the fraud were used to fund "lavish lifestyles," said court documents.
Francisco Patino, a doctor and part-owner of the clinics, bought jewelry, cars and vacations. He also paid Ultimate Fighting Championship and other mixed martial arts fighters to promote his specialized diet program.
Mashiyat Rashid, Patino’s business partner and part-owner of the clinics, purchased private jet flights, courtside tickets to the NBA Finals and expensive real estate.
Other physicians involved in the scheme purchased luxury cars, gold bars, indoor basketball courts and swimming pools.
Over $16 million in fraud proceeds was forfeited by the United States from the defendants.
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The U.S. Justice Department said 5 physicians have been convicted in two separate trials, while 18 other defendants pleaded guilty. Seven defendants are awaiting sentencing.
The Metro Detroit physicians sentenced by the court include:
• Tariq Omar, M.D., 63, of Oakland County, sentenced Wednesday to 8 years in prison and ordered to pay over $24 million in restitution. Omar was convicted in 2020 for conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud.
• Joseph Betro, D.O., 60, of Oakland County, convicted at trial in 2020 for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and health care fraud, was sentenced in February 2022 to nine years in prison and ordered to pay over $27 million in restitution.
• Mohammed Zahoor, M.D., 53, of Oakland County, convicted at trial in 2020 for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and health care fraud, was sentenced in February 2022 to eight years in prison and ordered to pay over $36 million in restitution.
• Zahid Sheikh, M.D., 62, of Macomb County, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, and ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
• Abdul Haq, M.D., 76, of Ypsilanti, was sentenced to four years in prison, and ordered to pay over $6 million in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
• Steven Adamczyk, M.D., 47, of Bloomfield Hills, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
• David Weaver, M.D., 67, of Canton, was sentenced to three years in prison, and ordered to pay over $200,000 in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
• Glenn Saperstein, M.D., 58, of Commerce Township, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, and ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
• Manish Bolina, M.D., 43, of Canton, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, and ordered to pay over $300,000 in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of false statements.
• Hussein Saad, M.D., 42, of Dearborn, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and ordered to pay over $400,000 in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of false statements.
• David Yangouyian, M.D., 58, of Farmington Hills, was sentenced to six months in prison, and ordered to pay over $35,000 in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
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Other Metro Detroit defendants sentenced by the court include:
• Yousef Almatrahi, 34, of Romulus, the owner of a home health agency, was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with his payment of illegal kickbacks for the referral of patients from the clinics for medically unnecessary home health services.
• Hina Qazi, 39, of Rochester Hills, the owner of a home health agency, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay over $800,000 in restitution in connection with her guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with her payment of illegal kickbacks for the referral of patients from the clinics for medically unnecessary home health services.
• Joshua Burns, 43, of Detroit, was sentenced to one-day in prison and ordered to pay restitution in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive illegal kickbacks and bribes in connection with Patino’s referral of urine drug testing and sponsorship of MMA fighters.
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The following Metro Detroit defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on future dates:
• Yasser Mozeb, 39, of Hamtramck, the office manager of the Tri-County clinics, is scheduled to be sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive illegal kickbacks and bribes.
• Kashif Rasool, M.D., 46, of Troy, is scheduled to be sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
• Tariq Siddiqi, 44, of Sterling Heights, is scheduled to be sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with his payment of illegal kickbacks for the referral of patients from the clinics for medically unnecessary home health services.
• Tasadaq Ali Ahmad, 54, of Canton, the owner of a home health agency, is scheduled to be sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive kickbacks.
• Stephanie Borgula, 41, of Livonia, a licensed physical therapist, is scheduled to be sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.