In October 2013, Dr. Abubakar Durrani, an orthopedic spine surgeon, faced serious charges, including health care fraud, mail fraud, and illegal drug distribution. He ran the Center for Advanced Spine Technologies (CAST) in Ohio and Kentucky. According to the indictment, Durrani fraudulently billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies for spinal surgeries that were not needed.
Durrani is accused of misdiagnosing patients with severe spinal conditions and convincing them to have unnecessary surgeries. He allegedly exaggerated the risks, claiming that without immediate surgery, patients could suffer severe injuries or even paralysis. Investigators found that Durrani often ignored or misunderstood patient radiology reports, leading to improper treatments.
In addition, Durrani is accused of falsifying patient records and surgical reports, providing false information about diagnoses and procedures. Many patients who had surgery with Durrani ended up in worse shape. As the legal proceedings continued, Durrani was suspected of fleeing the U.S. after his request to travel abroad was denied.
