Former Physician Sentenced For Second Health Care Fraud Conviction
summary
Former surgeon Spyros Panos, previously convicted of health care fraud in 2013, was sentenced to 111 months in prison for impersonating a licensed orthopedic surgeon to defraud six peer review companies of $876,389.97 through fraudulent credential submissions and aggravated identity theft, while also obstructing justice with fake COVID-19 documents during pre-sentencing.
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Spyros Panos, a former physician who surrendered his medical license in 2013 after a prior health care fraud conviction, was sentenced to 111 months in prison for health care fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He defrauded six medical peer review companies of $876,389.97 by impersonating a licensed orthopedic surgeon, submitting forged credentials, and conducting fake peer reviews both before and after his initial prison term. Panos further obstructed justice by submitting falsified documents, including fake COVID-19 test results, to delay sentencing, leading to bail revocation and his arrest in July 2022.
narrative
Spyros Panos, a former surgeon who surrendered his New York medical license in 2013 in anticipation of pleading guilty to a prior health care fraud case, resumed his fraudulent activities after his release by impersonating a licensed orthopedic surgeon known as 'Doctor-1.' He defrauded six medical peer review companies of $876,389.97 by submitting forged credentials and conducting fraudulent peer reviews under Doctor-1’s name. After pleading guilty to health care fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in October 2020, Panos obstructed justice by submitting fake emails, documents, and false claims of COVID-19 infection and pneumonia to delay his sentencing. In July 2022, after the court revoked his bail due to these deceptions, he was arrested and remanded into custody. He was ultimately sentenced to 111 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York prosecuted the case, with investigative support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HHS-OIG, and the New York Inspector General. His recidivism and elaborate deception underscored the severity of his crimes and the court’s determination to deter future fraud by licensed professionals.
Classified health-care-fraud(confidence 100%). No EDGAR filing fingerprint (criminal/DOJ-side scheme). detection rule →
Statutes
Parties
spyros panos
Keywords
panoshealth carecare fraudfraudhealthcarelinknewformer physicianphysician healthfraud convictiongovernment non-governmentnon-government sitessites typicallytypically appear
Extracted insights
Dollar amounts 1
- $876K $876,389 $100K–$1M
Entities 1
- person spyros panos
Triples 15
- Spyros Panos Was Sentenced 111 Months in Prison
- Spyros Panos Pled Guilty to the charges on October 30, 2020
- United States District Judge Kenneth M. Karas Imposed the Sentence today in White Plains federal court
- Spyros Panos Abused the healthcare system for his own personal profit
- Spyros Panos Submitted Doctor-1’s credentials to peer review companies
- Spyros Panos Conducted peer reviews using Doctor-1’s name and credentials
- Spyros Panos Defrauded the peer review companies of $876,389.97
- Spyros Panos Submitted fraudulent emails and records
- Spyros Panos Submitted false and fraudulent documents in support of requests for adjournments of sentencing
- Spyros Panos Was Arrested and placed in custody
- Spyros Panos Was Sentenced to three years of supervised release
- Mr. Williams Praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Mr. Williams Praised the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Mr. Williams Praised the New York Inspector General
- Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margery Feinzig and Lindsey Keenan Are Charge Of the prosecution
Extracted body text (3,809c)
Press Release Former Physician Sentenced For Second Health Care Fraud Conviction Wednesday, November 30, 2022 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Spyros Panos, Previously Convicted in 2013, Was Sentenced to 111 Months in Prison for Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SPYROS PANOS was sentenced to 111 months in prison for health care fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. PANOS pled guilty to the charges on October 30, 2020. United States District Judge Kenneth M. Karas imposed the sentence today in White Plains federal court. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Spyros Panos, a former surgeon who surrendered his license to practice medicine after a prior conviction for health care fraud in this District, abused our healthcare system for his own personal profit again, and he is now facing a return to prison. The sentence he received appropriately reflects the seriousness of his crime and of recidivism in the eyes of the law.” According to the Indictment, to which PANOS pled guilty, and other statements and submissions made in Court: PANOS surrendered his New York State license to practice medicine in 2013 in anticipation of pleading guilty to an indictment charging him with health care fraud. Thereafter, while out on release in that case, and after surrendering his license, he began perpetrating a scheme to defraud six medical peer review companies by impersonating a licensed orthopedic surgeon practicing in Westchester County (“Doctor-1”). Among other things, PANOS submitted Doctor-1’s credentials to peer review companies and conducted peer reviews using Doctor-1’s name and credentials. He stopped engaging in the scheme while he served his prison sentence. After he was released, he resumed perpetrating the scheme. During the course of the scheme, PANOS defrauded the peer review companies of $876,389.97. According to court documents, in advance of his November 2, 2020, trial, PANOS submitted proposed defense exhibits that included fraudulent emails and records. While on release pending sentencing, PANOS submitted false and fraudulent documents in support of requests for adjournments of sentencing based on false claims that he tested positive for COVID-19 and then suffered from COVID related pneumonia. In July 2022, after the Court revoked his bail conditions and ordered him remanded, PANOS was arrested and placed in custody. * * * In addition to the prison term, PANOS, 54, of Hopewell Junction, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the New York Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margery Feinzig and Lindsey Keenan are charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase (212) 637-2600 Updated November 30, 2022 Topic Healthcare Fraud Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 22-366
OCR text (3,809c · html-text · 99% conf)
Press Release Former Physician Sentenced For Second Health Care Fraud Conviction Wednesday, November 30, 2022 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Spyros Panos, Previously Convicted in 2013, Was Sentenced to 111 Months in Prison for Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SPYROS PANOS was sentenced to 111 months in prison for health care fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. PANOS pled guilty to the charges on October 30, 2020. United States District Judge Kenneth M. Karas imposed the sentence today in White Plains federal court. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Spyros Panos, a former surgeon who surrendered his license to practice medicine after a prior conviction for health care fraud in this District, abused our healthcare system for his own personal profit again, and he is now facing a return to prison. The sentence he received appropriately reflects the seriousness of his crime and of recidivism in the eyes of the law.” According to the Indictment, to which PANOS pled guilty, and other statements and submissions made in Court: PANOS surrendered his New York State license to practice medicine in 2013 in anticipation of pleading guilty to an indictment charging him with health care fraud. Thereafter, while out on release in that case, and after surrendering his license, he began perpetrating a scheme to defraud six medical peer review companies by impersonating a licensed orthopedic surgeon practicing in Westchester County (“Doctor-1”). Among other things, PANOS submitted Doctor-1’s credentials to peer review companies and conducted peer reviews using Doctor-1’s name and credentials. He stopped engaging in the scheme while he served his prison sentence. After he was released, he resumed perpetrating the scheme. During the course of the scheme, PANOS defrauded the peer review companies of $876,389.97. According to court documents, in advance of his November 2, 2020, trial, PANOS submitted proposed defense exhibits that included fraudulent emails and records. While on release pending sentencing, PANOS submitted false and fraudulent documents in support of requests for adjournments of sentencing based on false claims that he tested positive for COVID-19 and then suffered from COVID related pneumonia. In July 2022, after the Court revoked his bail conditions and ordered him remanded, PANOS was arrested and placed in custody. * * * In addition to the prison term, PANOS, 54, of Hopewell Junction, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the New York Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margery Feinzig and Lindsey Keenan are charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase (212) 637-2600 Updated November 30, 2022 Topic Healthcare Fraud Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 22-366