Area cancer doctor gets 45 years in prison for fraud

Those rulings occurred during the fourth day of sentencing proceedings for Fata, who was accused of providing cancer treatment, iron transfusions and other treatments to patients who either did not need it or would not benefit from it.

A Michigan oncologist who gave $35 million in needless chemotherapy to patients – some of whom didn’t even have cancer – will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. When the sentence was given, they were disappointed.

He added that the cancer doctor “practiced greed and shut down whatever compassion he had”.

But Friday he broke down…letting out loud sobs…begging the court for mercy. Fata apologized to his victims with tears, saying he was “ashamed of his actions”. “My suspicion was there had to be a lot more”.

“My quest for power is self-destructive”, he said.

“I pray for repentance and the right of redemption at some point in my life.”. I failed them. Yes, I failed them.”.

Now some of his ex- patients have a chance to file claims and possibly be awarded some of the funds that he collected from Medicare and insurance companies.

“Of course, everybody would want to see life”, Zaremba said of Fata’s sentence. I was hoping he’d receive the maximum. “I do not know how to express the sorrow and the shame”. She said the ex- cancer doctor, now age 50, deserves to never be freed.

Loewen’s husband had esophageal cancer, and she said Fata started chemotherapy before he had a chance to heal from surgery. She said he was over medicated by Dr. Fata, which she says was the real cause of his death in 2009 at age 39.

“My suspicion was this is not the only case”, Dr. Soe Maunglay told The Detroit News. Karadsheh then alerted the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Fata was arrested days later.

Fata put more than 500 patients through thousands of grueling medical treatments just to collect millions from insurance companies.

Fata – a native of Lebanon – owned and operated Michigan Hematology Oncology Centers with offices in Clarkston, Bloomfield Hills, Lapeer, Sterling Heights, Troy and Oak Park.

Dr. Fata had admitted administering unnecessary treatments to patients, including chemo, and defrauding Medicare. “This disgusting and diabolical scheme has hurt hundreds of patients and their families and stolen from them something that no punishment from the court can do to make them whole”.

The cancer doctor will get credit for time served since his 2013 arrest. His stay in the federal prison system also could be shortened with good behavior.

After leading a group of 20 victims and relatives of ex- patients in a Tuesday series of court statements on the impact of Fata’s fraudulent care, Dorsey stood outside the courthouse with a stoic expression once the sentence was issued.