Indian-Origin Doctor To Pay $14 Million To Settle Medical Fraud Case In US

Last Updated:April 07, 2026, 12:15 IST

US-based Indian-origin doctor, Jitesh Patel, and Advanced Urology will pay 14 million dollars to settle US fraud claims over unnecessary or unperformed procedures and false billing

An Indian-origin doctor in the United States, Dr Jitesh Patel, and his Atlanta-based clinic, Advanced Urology, have agreed to pay $14 million to settle allegations of healthcare fraud linked to unnecessary and unperformed procedures.

According to an April 2 statement from the US Department of Justice (DoJ), the settlement resolves claims under the False Claims Act and the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act. Authorities alleged that the practice billed Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other federal programmes for procedures that were either not carried out or not medically required. The investigation, involving multiple agencies including the FBI, began after two whistle-blowers filed lawsuits.

Whistle-blowers flag systematic malpractice

The complaints were filed by former employee of the facility Lorraine Perumal-Szramel and former physician, Dr Himanshu Aggarwal, who accused the clinic of prioritising revenue over patient care. They alleged that nearly every new patient underwent invasive testing, often without clear medical justification.

Among the practices cited were implantation of sacral nerve stimulators without proper evaluation, frequent use of cystoscopies and retrograde pyelograms requiring anaesthesia, and routine electromyography tests—rare in standard urology care—conducted using electrodes attached to patients’ genitalia. The clinic was also accused of ordering large numbers of unnecessary ultrasounds.

Billing irregularities and settlement details

The lawsuit further claimed that the facility billed for complex procedures such as Direct Visual Internal Urethrotomy while performing simpler treatments, a practice known as “upcoding." Reports by FOX 5 Atlanta echoed these allegations, noting that surgeries were sometimes billed without being performed.

While it remains unclear if patients suffered long-term harm, authorities stressed the seriousness of the violations. US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said billing for unnecessary or unperformed services constitutes “fraud," while Georgia Deputy Attorney General Jim Mooney called it a theft of taxpayer funds. FBI officials said the scheme placed profit ahead of patient welfare.

As part of the settlement, the whistle-blowers will share $2.94 million.

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