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United States Intervenes in Civil Case Against
Mehmood Patel, M.D.
The Civil Lawsuit Seeks Treble Damages and Penalties for False Claims to the U.S. Government
LAFAYETTE, LA—The United States has intervened in a civil lawsuit seeking treble damages and
penalties from Dr. Mehmood Patel, a Lafayette, Louisiana interventional cardiologist, United States Attorney
Donald W. Washington announced today. The lawsuit accuses Dr. Patel of performing and billing Medicare
for medically unnecessary cardiovascular procedures.
The suit was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana by
cardiologist Christopher Mallavarapu under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the
federal statute, a private party, known as a “relator,” can file an action on behalf of the United States and
receive a portion of the recovery ranging from 15-25 percent of the monetary damages recovered through the
lawsuit. Under the False Claims Act, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus
civil penalties. Civil penalties range from $5,500 to $11,000 for each false claim submitted to the
government agency for payment.
The Government’s intervention follows Dr. Patel’s criminal conviction of 51 counts of healthcare
fraud in connection with claims that he performed medically unnecessary procedures such as cardiac
angiograms, angioplasties, and stents. Patel was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and has filed an appeal.
The Government’s civil complaint also alleges that Patel performed unnecessary right and left heart
catheterizations. Medicare does not pay for procedures that are medically unnecessary. Another defendant
in the lawsuit is Acadiana Cardiovascular Center, LLC, a cardiac catheterization lab owned and operated
by Dr. Patel.
This and other press releases issued by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District
of Louisiana can be found at our website at www.justice.gov/usao/law/pressrel.
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