Victims to face down cancer-fraud doctor who gave 500 people unnecessary treatments

DETROIT (AP) — Patients and their relatives will be giving an earful to a Detroit-area cancer doctor who admits ordering excessive treatments to get millions of dollars from insurers.

Roughly two dozen victims are signed up to give statements on Tuesday in Detroit federal court. It's all part of the sentencing for Dr. Farid Fata, who pleaded guilty last year to fraud, money laundering and conspiracy.

The government says more than 500 people received unnecessary treatments from Fata, including some people who didn't have cancer. Fata gave out approximately 9,000 injections or infusions. Many people weren't sick, others were so sick treatment did them no good.

Prosecutors are seeking a 175-year prison sentence, while the Oakland County man is asking for no more than 25 years. The punishment is expected later this week.

On Monday, Harvard medical professor Dr. Dan Longo said Fata performed a "stunning" number of rigorous but unnecessary treatments.

One former patient, Steve Skrzypczak, 68, was told he had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, NBC News reports. He had a mediport implanted in his chest, and was given chemo treatments. Skryzpczak learned he actually never had cancer.

"I want him to get life," he said.