(No caption)
"Odious" and "shameless" understate our reaction to fresh twists in Farid Fata's saga of horrors, but are words that come to mind first.
A federal court filing Monday seeks $26 million from the former Oakland County oncologist.
Tresa Baldas of the Detroit Free Press updates the drama:
Convicted cancer doctor Farid Fata, who is serving a 45-year prison sentence for intentionally misdiagnosing patients with cancer and pumping them with needless drugs, is in an ongoing war with the federal government.
As he continues to fight for his freedom, the federal government is continuing to go after his money: $26.4 million to be exact. That's how much the federal government asked a judge on Monday to order Fata to pay in restitution for his crimes. . . .
But Fata, who pleaded guilty to fraud in 2014, now claims that he did so only at the advice of his attorney.
Fata pleaded guilty five years ago to 13 counts of health care fraud, two counts of money laundering and one count of kickback conspiracy. He admitted more than $17 million in unwarranted billings and agreed to forfeit $17.6 million, plus other assets.
WXYZ coverage in July 2015.
Now the former Oakland County oncologist tries to flip that script: "Had I been properly advised . . . I would not have pleaded guilty and instead proceeded to trial as I had always intended to do," he says in a federal court motion to set aside his plea.
Christropher Andreoff of Southfield, his past attorney, denies saying Fata could get a 20-year sentence and says his client didn't hesitate to plead guilty, according to the Freep.
