Former New York orthopedic surgeon Spyros Panos pleaded guilty to fraud and will forfeit hundreds of thousands of dollars as a result.
Four things to know:
1. Mr. Panos pleaded guilty to wire fraud, healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft for stealing a colleague's identity and receiving $876,389.97 in payments for reviewing workers' compensation patient files.
2. Mr. Panos surrendered his medical license after a previous healthcare fraud conviction. After surrendering his license, he impersonated a licensed orthopedic surgeon from Westchester County in New York to receive payments from medical peer review companies, according to a news release from the Department of Justice, Southern District of New York.
3. The scheme involved Mr. Panos submitting an unnamed orthopedic surgeon's credentials to the peer review companies. He is also accused of submitting fraudulent emails and records to the court in his defense.
4. Mr. Panos agreed to forfeit the fraudulent payments and pay restitution. His sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2021.