A Memphis, Tennessee gynaecologist who is accused of sexually abusing four women, and reusing unsanitary medical devices in unnecessary procedures, was arrested on Friday, with officials saying more cases could come to light.
Sanjeev Kumar (44) was charged with sexual abuse, medical fraud and illicitly reusing unsanitary medical devices after he enticed four women to travel across state lines to his clinic, where he subjected them to sexual abuse under the guise of medical procedures.
The Guardian reports that his arrest adds to a spate of cases in America involving physicians being – at the very least – accused of violating patients in their most vulnerable moments.
Between 2019 and 2024, Kumar allegedly performed unnecessary gynaecological procedures using medical devices that were kept in unsanitary conditions and improperly reused, with some designated for single use or requiring sterilisation.
According to the indictment authorities obtained against him, he did not tell patients about this practice before inserting the devices during procedures.
Kumar, who worked at the Poplar Avenue Clinic, then billed the federal Medicare and Medicaid insurance programmes for hysteroscopy biopsy services as if the treatments were medically necessary – and as if he had used new or properly sterilised equipment.
“Kumar was consistently the top-paid provider in Tennessee for Medicare and Medicaid for hysteroscopy biopsy services, and he profited substantially from these criminal acts,” said the acting US attorney for the western district of Tennessee, Reagan Fondren.
“The allegations indicate that he acted as a predator in a white coat and used the cover of conducting medical examinations to put his patients at risk and enrich himself.”
A spokesperson from the FBI’s Nashville field office said there may be additional victims.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Predatory’ US gynae gets 20 years for sexual abuse
Sydney gynaecologist acquitted of sexual charges by patients in two trials
GP gets three life sentences for 90 ‘defensive medicine’ sexual assaults
Bail denied to bogus doctor charged with teen rape, sexual assault