Spine surgeon Aria Sabit, MD, had his 19-year prison sentence upheld in a federal appeals court Dec. 16 after he was found guilty of accepting illegal kickbacks in 2017, reports The Baltimore Sun.
Five things to know:
1. Dr. Sabit was handed a 235-month sentence after he pled guilty to four counts of healthcare fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of unlawfully distributing a controlled substance.
2. The jury unanimously upheld the sentence in a 3-0 decision.
3. Dr. Sabit "would cut people open and either insert unnecessary medical devices or insert nothing, despite telling the patient and insurer to the contrary," according to the court.
4. He implanted devices from Apex Medical Technologies, which he had a financial stake in.
5. Dr. Sabit has been ordered to pay $1.9 million in restitution to the government, payers and patients.