Fund Opens To Cover Funeral Expenses For Rogue Cancer Doctor's Patients

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) -- A restitution fund will cover funeral expenses for victims of a Detroit-area doctor who misled people into believing they had cancer.

The Detroit News reports that Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Dick said Monday that the compensation plan also will include reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses related to remedial treatments patients needed as the result of Dr. Farid Fata's medical orders and care.

The government is preparing to distribute up to $12-million to those seeking damages, like Teddy Howard of Clinton Township. He was diagnosed with blood cancer by Dr. Fata back in 2011 and put on chemotherapy.

"As the treatments progressed, I could no longer perform the job that I had -- I had a pretty decent job," Howard said. "I lost that and we lost our home, and then I was just sitting at home and I found out that he had been arrested by my wife calling me and telling me 'check out the news.'"

Fata was paid millions of dollars by insurance companies while poisoning more than 500 people through needless treatments. He was sentenced in July, months after pleading guilty in Detroit federal court, and is appealing his 45-year prison sentence.

"I got re-tested, found out I didn't have anything, but as a result I had to have a liver transplant because it had damaged my liver," Howard said. "Thank God he got arrested, because if he hadn't gotten arrested I probably wouldn't be standing here today."

His assets are being liquidated.

A court-appointed facilitator will begin meeting in May with victims to develop a document to apply for restitution.

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