SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The feds say Dr. Aria Sabit performed 200 unnecessary back surgeries in California on elderly patients resulting in infections, lawsuits and at least one death.
UPDATE: The judge decided to detain Dr. Sabit. His lawyers appealed and a hearing will follow.
Meanwhile, the FBI wants patients of Sabit who need records which were seized to call this hotline: 313-965-4500
Sabit moved his practice to Michigan in 2011 with an office in Southfield, and with practicing privileges at the Detroit Medical Center and McLaren Lapeer Region.
On Thursday in federal court, prosecutors called Sabit a greedy butcher continuing his back and neck surgeries in Michigan but never implementing the medical spinal devices meant to help his patients.
The FBI says Sabit billed Medicare and insurance companies more than $32 million, netting a profit of $1.8 million for himself. The government says he is an extreme flight risk to run from fraud charges back to his native Afghanistan. In his home country, Sabit's father is the former attorney general and his uncle is the current speak of their government house.
In emails presented on Thursday, Sabit told investigators he can get his hands on U.S. aid money to build a for-profit hospital netting $30 million in profit in its first year, and he recently traveled to Afghanistan carrying precious gems for his role in recruiting investors for a mining operation.