Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, a Memphis gynecologist, was arrested for sexually abusing patients and committing insurance fraud over five years. Prosecutors allege he coerced four victims to travel for illegal sexual activities and conducted numerous unnecessary medical tests, billing Medicare and Medicaid for them. Kumar reused unsanitary, single-use equipment without proper cleaning, endangering patient health. He was the top provider for hysteroscopies in Tennessee, billing $2,515 per fraudulent procedure. Facing up to 31 years in prison and $500,000 in fines if convicted, the FBI is seeking additional victims and information regarding his practices.
A Memphis gynecologist, accused of reusing unsanitary instruments on patients, was arrested on Friday and is facing charges of sexually abusing patients over a five-year span as well as committing insurance fraud, as reported by federal prosecutors and court documents.
The accused, 44-year-old Sanjeev Kumar, allegedly lured four victims from other states to Tennessee to participate in “illegal sexual activities,” according to an indictment.
Dr. Kumar also performed numerous unnecessary medical tests, billing them to Medicaid and Medicare, as per the indictment.
“The claims suggest that Kumar behaved like a predator in a white coat, utilizing the guise of medical examinations to endanger his patients and profit himself,” stated Reagan Fondren, the acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
From September 2019 to June 2024, Dr. Kumar is reported to be the highest-earning provider in Tennessee for hysteroscopy biopsies covered by Medicare and Medicaid, as indicated by the indictment. A hysteroscopy involves a thin, lighted tube being inserted into a woman’s vagina to allow the doctor to examine the cervix and uterus, according to information from the Cleveland Clinic.
The indictment claims that Dr. Kumar “substantially profited” from billing Medicare and Medicaid for these procedures. He charged the insurance companies $2,515 for each of over 40 procedures that were classified as fraudulent or not medically necessary, but it remains unclear how much he personally gained from these transactions.
According to the indictment, Dr. Kumar directed his staff to consider every patient as critical, resulting in all new patients undergoing Pap smears, ultrasounds, and hysteroscopy procedures, irrespective of their actual medical needs.
Throughout the treatment process, Dr. Kumar repeatedly reused instruments labeled as “single use,” failing to adequately clean and sanitize equipment between patients.
He billed Medicare and Medicaid for each patient as if he had employed single-use instruments, despite their reuse, as highlighted in the indictment.
During this timeframe, Dr. Kumar allegedly pressured four victims into visiting his clinic in Memphis, where they engaged in “sexual acts that could lead to criminal charges,” according to the indictment. The victims reportedly traveled to Memphis “on multiple occasions,” as stated by federal prosecutors.
The F.B.I. is actively seeking to identify additional victims and has appealed to the public for any information pertaining to Dr. Kumar, who operated at the Poplar Avenue Clinic in Memphis.
The clinic’s phone went unanswered on Saturday, and its website seemed to have been taken down. There was no attorney listed for Dr. Kumar in the court files, and it was unclear if he currently has legal representation. Should he be found guilty, Dr. Kumar could face up to 31 years in prison and over $500,000 in potential fines.
“This doctor prioritized profit over patient welfare,” commented Joseph E. Carrico, a special agent with the F.B.I. Nashville field office. “The alleged abusive conduct has persisted for five years, suggesting there may be many more victims yet to come forward.”