Dr. Farid Fata/ photo from his website.
The feds are very very serious about trying to keep Oakland County oncologist, Dr. Farid Fata, from fleeing the country. So they're making it tough for him to get out of jail.
In papers filed Monday in federal court in Detroit, the U.S. Attorney's Office asked that the previous bond of $170,000 in cash be upped to a secured or cash bond of $9 million, "which accurately reflects the resources available to Dr. Fata." The doctor is accused of intentionally misdiagnosing patients and providing medically unnecessary treatments -- including -- chemotherapy to bilk Medicare.
"Furthermore, the burden should be on the defendant to demonstrate that the sources of funds for any bonds posted come from legitimate, and not illegitimate source...," the U.S. Attorney's wrote in a brief.
"Dr. Fata has in his or his wife's control $9 million in assets not yet seized by the government that are either liquid or can be easily cashed out and used to engineer flight from this country should they not be used to secure his release," the feds wrote.
Fata was arrested by the feds last Tuesday and has been behind bars ever since. His attorney Christopher Andreoff has argued that his client has far less in assets than the feds claim.
U.S. Magistrate Judge David R. Grand set a $170,000 cash bond last week, but Fata remained behind bars while the feds tried to determine whether he had $170,000 in legitimate earnings -- not from healthcare fraud. Now, the feds have requested that bond be set at $9 million. A hearing on the matter has been set for Tuesday at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Sean Cox.
Fata's attorney Christopher Andreoff filed papers on Monday saying that his client actually "does not have current liquid assets to post" even the $170,000 bond.
"The government has obtained seizure orders of most, if not all, personal and business liquid and non-liquid assets from local commercial banks and investment companies, " Andreoff wrote, adding: "Defendant cannot currently pay expenses, salaries or compensation to three physicians, 50 nurse practitioners, medical assistants, clerical and billing staff. This will result in the immediate closure of his business and create significant debt and irreparable financial damage to him and others."
Authorities say that Dr. Fata owns and operates Michigan Hematology Oncology Centers (MHO), which has offices in Clarkston, Bloomfield Hills, Lapeer, Sterling Heights, Troy and Oak Park.
A message was left on Andreoff's voicemail early Monday afternoon seeking comment.
