Barbara McQuade MLive.JPG

U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade in a July 9, 2015 file photo taken after the sentencing of oncologist Farid Fata, who was sent to prison for 45 years for administering chemotherapy to patients who didn't need it. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive file)

Four of six Michigan doctors indicted on health care fraud charges in 2015 are likely to spend years in federal prison after being linked to a massive Medicaid and Medicare scheme.

One has already been sentenced to nearly four years in prison.

Three accepted plea deals in which they'll serve likely sentences of at least five years in prison, fines approaching $250,000 and millions in restitution or forfeiture.

Two other cases are still working their way through court motions.

The charges were part of a wider health care fraud case that involved 16 suspects, including doctors, a social worker, a pharmacist and two physical therapists.

It was a fraud and kickback scheme that involved $122 million, according to U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade's office.

"The schemes involved services that were medically unnecessary or never rendered, including physician visits, hospice care, home health care, and the billing but not dispensing of pharmaceuticals," McQuade's office said last year.

"In addition, law enforcement agents executed search warrants at eight locations and seizure warrants of 24 bank accounts related to the alleged schemes."

The federal agency that oversees Medicare and Medicaid also attempted to suspend 14 health care providers in connection with the fraud ring.



Status of cases:

Dr. Laran Lerner

of Northville was sentenced to 45 months in prison, three years supervised release and ordered to pay nearly $2.8 million in restitution.

Dr. Gerald Daneshvar

, 39, of West Bloomfield is scheduled for a status conference before U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn at 2:30 p.m. June 21.

Dr. William Binder

, M.D., 58, Ypsilanti: Case is pending. Both sides are arguing carious motions that haven't been resolved. No trial date is set.

Dr. Rizwan Qadir

, 52, of Bloomfield Hills entered into a plea agreement in February that will require him to serve up to 10 years in prison and pay over $4 million in restitution. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 28 before U.S. Ditrict Judge Arthur J. Tarnow.

Dr. Waseem Alam

, Woodward Urgent Care, accepted a plea agreement March 22. The U.S. Attorney's Office is recommending a minimum sentence of 11 years and 3 months in prison. He's also agreed to pay a $250,000 fine and will accept a nearly $8 million forfeiture judgement filed by the government. Sentencing is set for Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Sean F. Cox

Dr. Hatem Ataya

, 47, Flushing, entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office on March 18. He's agreed to serve a minimum of 6 1/2 years in prison, pay a fine in up to of $250,000 and accept a forfeiture judgement filed by the government for $4.1 million. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 16 before U.S. District Judge Sean F. Cox.

Most of the indictments were filed in 2015 and are part of a nationwide effort to curb fraud involving government health care.

Federal agencies called the case one of the "largest national Medicare fraud takedown in history."

The action was "a nationwide sweep led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in 17 districts, resulting in charges against 243 individuals, including 46 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $712 million in false billings," the U.S. Attorney's Office said at the time of the indictments.

Full details from U.S. Attorney's Office release: