Fata, convicted cancer doctor from Oakland County, seeks release on humanitarian grounds

(WXYZ) — Former cancer doctor Farid Fata has been behind bars for 11 years.

His release is scheduled for 2050, but he recently applied for early release for health reasons.

His victims and their families have loudly demanded that he stay where he is.

“What he did was simply horrific,” said Mark Berger of Ferndale.

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Berger's mother, Ruth Berger, was one of Farid Fata's patients. Berger says that when his mother's disease went into remission, Fata insisted that she continue chemotherapy.

“Fata just said I'm your oncologist and I know how to treat you,” said Berger. “You have to trust me in everything.”

Ruth did as Fata said and continued the treatments even though she did not need them. She died about two years later.

“I feel like I was cheated out of my mother’s retirement benefits because of him,” Berger said.

In 2014, Fata pleaded guilty to involvement in a health care fraud scheme that resulted in hundreds of patients receiving chemotherapy that they did not need.

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He also made millions of dollars through billing fraud.

“I was just appalled that someone would take advantage of their patients' trust and then treat them with something they really don't need for financial reasons. I thought it was just the Hippocratic Oath, anything against it.”

Fata recently applied for release on humanitarian grounds.

He says he suffers from a rare blood disease and will die if he is not released from prison soon.

“He has shown no compassion to any of these patients, and now he is demanding just that.” said Angela Shukwit of Madison Heights.

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Angela Shukwit is an oncology nurse.

She once applied for a job as a nurse in Fata's doctor's office, but after an interview she realized that something was very wrong.

“I saw one thing after another being done wrong, violations of OSHA regulations, but the worst was the chemotherapy being administered incorrectly,” Shuckwit said.

Shukwit never accepted the position in Fata's office and immediately reported him to the state medical board after her interview.

Here are some of their statements from their 2010 report.

“Patients are harmed because chemotherapy and supportive therapy are given incorrectly and when they should not be given,” Shukwit said.

Shukwit and Mark Berger have both sent letters to the judge in Fata's case urging him not to allow his release.

“I think he should spend the rest of his life in prison,” said Mark Beger.

Fata's victims have until August 26 to submit their responses to Fata's request for release on humanitarian grounds.

He last submitted such an application in 2020.