(DETROIT, MI) — Lebanese-American cancer doctor Farid Fata was described as a “cowardly bastard” during his second day of sentencing on Tuesday, as he sat expressionless watching his former patients take the stand to describe their medical nightmares.
Fata has admitted to billing insurers for millions of dollars while misdiagnosing and over-treating cancer patients with chemotherapy and other methods when they didn’t need it.
“Farid Fata: I hate you. You are repulsive. You disgust me. You are a monster. You are evil,” said Laura Stedtfeld, who took the stand and accused him of murdering her father, Piero Zanotti, who died in 2014.
“Clearly you are a coward because you can’t even look at me right now,” she said. “You murdered my dad. You poisoned, tortured and murdered my dad.”
Fata pleaded guilty last September to 13 counts of health care fraud, two money laundering counts, and one count of conspiracy to pay or receive kickbacks. His attorneys have asked Judge Paul Borman to sentence him to no more than 25 years in prison.
But prosecutors are seeking a 175-year prison sentence, likening Fata to Ponzi scammer Bernie Madoff and accusing him of bullying patients into dangerous treatments to pay for an opulent lifestyle.
The government has also asked Borman to order the doctor to pay back $17.6 million paid by Medicare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan for fraudulent treatments.
Fata has not testified, but his lawyers have filed a sentencing memo that remains under seal.
According to the government, Fata had a patient load of 1,200 people and received $62 million from Medicare. He billed for more than $150 million.
Fata has lived in Michigan for 10 years and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2009.
A decision could come by Friday.
WATCH: Dr. Farid Fata falsely diagnosed Patricia Hester with cancer, giving her medication she never even needed.