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Indian-origin gynecologist gets 20 years for health care fraud
Federal prosecutors said he performed more than 15,000 biopsy procedures using improperly reused medical devices on Medicare and Medicaid patients.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 09, Jul 2026
- 15:13 EDT
- 31
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Representative image / Courtesy photo
An Indian-origin gynecologist in Memphis has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for using adulterated medical devices in thousands of biopsy procedures and defrauding Medicare and Medicaid.
Sanjeev Kumar, 45, was sentenced on July 8 by Chief U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to 240 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee said. A federal jury convicted Kumar in January on 18 counts of adulterating medical devices, 16 counts of misbranding medical devices, and six counts of health care fraud.
Also Read: Louisiana judge hands Indian national 10-year sentence
According to prosecutors, Kumar, a Mayo-trained gynecologic oncologist who operated Poplar Avenue Clinic in Memphis, routinely reused single-use hysteroscopes and graspers and failed to properly reprocess reusable medical devices between patients.
Authorities said he used the adulterated devices in more than 15,000 hysteroscopy with biopsy procedures performed between September 2019 and April 2024, exposing thousands of women to potential health risks.
Evidence presented at trial showed Kumar purchased fewer than 200 new hysteroscopes during the period in question, while three of six single-use graspers purchased in 2019 were still being used in his office in April 2024. Prosecutors said the devices were neither properly reprocessed nor labeled as required under federal regulations.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said Kumar "used his medical license to target a vulnerable population of women seeking treatment in extremely personal and intimate procedures."
"He was motivated by greed, disregarded clear medical risks, and caused significant physical and psychological harm to his victim-patients," Dunavant said. "No punishment is enough to achieve justice in this horrific case, but we hope that this 20-year sentence will send a strong message of deterrence while holding Kumar accountable for his crimes."
Federal authorities said Kumar billed more than $41 million for hysteroscopy with biopsy procedures between September 2019 and April 2024 and received more than $4.8 million from Medicare and Medicaid alone. The government said the total does not include payments from private insurers.
Juan Berrios, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations' Miami Field Office, said the sentence demonstrates that health care providers who seek to profit by using adulterated medical devices "will be held accountable to the highest extent of the law."
Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, said Kumar "put vulnerable women at significant risk while diverting critical taxpayer resources for his own gain."
FBI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said Kumar "put profit ahead of patient safety" by reusing single-use medical devices on thousands of patients, calling the sentence "a victory for patient safety, the integrity of our healthcare system, and the taxpayers who ultimately bear the cost of healthcare fraud."
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said the case underscored the importance of holding medical professionals accountable when they place financial interests above patient care.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lynn Crum, Scott Smith, and Sarah Pazar Williams prosecuted the case.
A separate hearing to determine restitution is scheduled for Oct. 2.
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