Atlanta, Georgia, United States: Indian-origin urologist Jitesh Patel has agreed to pay $14 million to settle allegations that he defrauded healthcare programs by performing medically unnecessary procedures on patients.

The allegations emerged following whistleblower complaints filed by former employees of Patel’s medical practice, Advanced Urology. According to court documents, the facility allegedly prioritized revenue generation by conducting procedures and diagnostic tests that were not medically required.

The complaints claim that certain medical devices were implanted without adequate assessment of patient benefit. Additionally, patients were reportedly subjected to unnecessary tests, including procedures requiring anesthesia, and thousands of ultrasound tests were ordered routinely for new patients—despite such practices being uncommon in standard urology care.

The allegations further state that some procedures were billed despite not being performed.

The case was investigated by multiple federal agencies, including the US Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Health and Human Services.

US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg stated that healthcare fraud undermines both patient trust and public resources, emphasizing that authorities will continue to enforce the False Claims Act against such violations.

Under the False Claims Act, private individuals can file lawsuits on behalf of the US government and receive a portion of recovered funds. In this case, the whistleblowers are set to receive approximately $2.94 million from the settlement.

Authorities clarified that the settlement resolves allegations only, and there has been no formal determination of liability. The lawsuits also did not confirm whether the procedures caused harm to patients.

Dr. Patel, who has been recognized in the medical field with honors such as “Atlanta Top Doctor” and “Top 40 Under 40,” completed his medical education at Temple University School of Medicine.