GRAND RAPIDS – Daniel J. Castro, M.D., a former West Michigan surgeon, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for performing fraudulent sinus surgeries and defrauding healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Castro’s scheme involved conducting unnecessary sinus surgeries on patients, falsifying medical records to justify the procedures, and billing insurance companies for more extensive surgeries than actually performed. The physician was also accused of ‘upcoding’ procedures to increase reimbursement, leading to a loss totaling over $5 million.
Chief United States District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou imposed the sentence in Lansing, Michigan, following Castro’s guilty plea to making false statements related to healthcare matters. He was ordered to pay nearly $2 million in restitution to various victims, including Bronson Hospital and his former patients.
‘The criminal activities of Dr. Daniel Castro are sickening,’ said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. ‘He trampled on the trust of his patients and our healthcare system for personal gain.’ The FBI’s Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that unnecessary procedures compromise patient care and expose them to harm.
Castro’s sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences faced by those who abuse their position of trust within the medical community. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ron Stella and Adam Townshend led the investigation and prosecution in this case.
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Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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