Indian-origin US gynecologist Dr. Sanjeev Kumar convicted of healthcare fraud. (Photo: X)
Indian-origin Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, a gynecologist practicing in Memphis, Tennessee, has been convicted on multiple counts of healthcare fraud and misuse of medical equipment.
The federal jury found him guilty on 40 of 46 charges, including adulterating and misbranding medical devices and submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
Dr. Kumar, an oncologist specializing in gynecology, conducted thousands of hysteroscopy with biopsy procedures between 2019 and 2024. These in-office procedures, used to diagnose endometrial cancer, involve inserting a hysteroscope through the cervix to collect samples of the uterine lining.
From 2019 to 2024, Dr. Kumar and his team performed over 15,000 procedures on 5,559 patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Despite the high volume, the government alleged that many procedures were unnecessary and conducted using improperly sanitized or misused medical equipment.
Court documents reveal that Dr. Kumar submitted, and instructed his staff to submit, fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid for hysteroscopies that were neither medically necessary nor performed with properly sterilized devices.
Specifically, Dr. Kumar was convicted of:
18 counts of adulterating medical devices
16 counts of misbranding medical devices
6 counts of healthcare fraud
The Department of Justice noted that single-use devices purchased by Dr. Kumar were repeatedly reused without proper reprocessing or labeling, violating manufacturer instructions and endangering patient safety.
“The single-use devices were to be used once and then discarded. Kumar routinely failed to subject the reusable devices to vital reprocessing steps between patient use,” the DOJ stated.
Dr. Kumar billed over $41 million for hysteroscopy procedures between September 2019 and April 2024. Of this, more than $4.8 million was reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid. The fraudulent billing contributed to the federal case against him.
In his defense, Dr. Kumar’s legal team argued that his disinfection methods followed CDC recommendations, and the government’s claims about unsanitized devices were misleading.
Following the conviction, Dr. Kumar stated:
“I served every patient like a family member, never turned anybody away. As far as science is concerned, we are confident that we are on the right side of the scientific facts.”
After a three-and-a-half-week trial and five days of jury deliberation, Dr. Kumar was convicted on 40 out of 46 charges. The jury was unable to reach a consensus on the remaining six charges.
Dr. Kumar remains free on bond, with sentencing scheduled for April 9, 2026.
The conviction of Dr. Kumar highlights concerns over patient safety, misuse of medical equipment, and fraudulent billing practices in the U.S. healthcare system.
Authorities have emphasized that even single-use medical devices must be properly labeled and processed according to regulations to prevent endangering patients.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
Donald Trump: US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will impose…
Marathi Film Paro: Director Gajendra Ahire’s Marathi film Paro – The Untold Story of Bride…
A massive crowd gathered in Tehran on Monday night as thousands of Iranians took to…
