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| Dr. Syed Imran Ahmed |
He’s the Bernie Madoff of bariatric surgery.
A fat-cat Long Island Gold Coast surgeon billed Medicare for $85
million for procedures he never performed — even claiming to have
operated on two patients who had already died, according to a Brooklyn
Federal Court complaint unsealed Tuesday.
million for procedures he never performed — even claiming to have
operated on two patients who had already died, according to a Brooklyn
Federal Court complaint unsealed Tuesday.
Dr. Syed Imran Ahmed, 49 — who specializes in weight loss and wound
treatment and lives in a sprawling $4 million mansion in exclusive
Muttontown — was arrested Tuesday on felony fraud raps.
treatment and lives in a sprawling $4 million mansion in exclusive
Muttontown — was arrested Tuesday on felony fraud raps.
Investigators said he rang up the astounding bill in Medicare claims
in just two years, between 2011 and 2013. He received $7.7 million in
reimbursements.
in just two years, between 2011 and 2013. He received $7.7 million in
reimbursements.
“Ahmed created phantom medical procedures to steal very real taxpayer money,” said US Attorney Loretta Lynch in a statement.
“The defendant sought to enrich himself and fund his lifestyle through billing Medicare for services he never performed.”
Ahmed — who has offices in Brooklyn and Long Island — was finally
nabbed after a patient received a Medicare report that listed a slew of
bogus procedures and alerted law enforcement.
nabbed after a patient received a Medicare report that listed a slew of
bogus procedures and alerted law enforcement.
Several patients later told federal agents that they had met Ahmed
once or twice — but never received the hundreds of procedures he claimed
to have conducted on them.
once or twice — but never received the hundreds of procedures he claimed
to have conducted on them.
Prosecutors also said he claimed to have conducted six procedures on a
patient Jan. 19, 2012 — but the “patient’’ had died 11 days earlier.
patient Jan. 19, 2012 — but the “patient’’ had died 11 days earlier.
After authorities interviewed him in September, Ahmed shifted $3
million in personal funds to other accounts — including two transfers to
banks in his native Pakistan, according to court papers.
million in personal funds to other accounts — including two transfers to
banks in his native Pakistan, according to court papers.
The feds are seeking to snatch Ahmed’s mansion that he bought along
with his wife, Irum Chaudhry, for $3.7 million in 2012 because $2.4
million of his payments came from fraud money, court papers state.
with his wife, Irum Chaudhry, for $3.7 million in 2012 because $2.4
million of his payments came from fraud money, court papers state.
Ahmed, who has a 7-year-old child, kept mum as he was arraigned in court Tuesday.
His lawyer, Douglas Nadjari, in arguing for bail, said his client’s
patients could have been confused about what treatment they received
when questioned by probers.
patients could have been confused about what treatment they received
when questioned by probers.
Nadjari added that Ahmed was not a flight risk because he had ties to the Long Island community.
But Magistrate Judge Marilyn Go rejected the bail request.
Ahmed’s lawyer is slated present a new package Friday.
Source: NYPost