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Date: 09-22-2021
Case Style:
Case Number: 19-CR-239 (RJD)
Judge: Raymond J. Dearie
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Kings County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Brooklyn, NY: Criminal defense lawyers represented defendants charged with participating in a scheme involving the payment of bribes and kickback to obtain referrals of female patients across the United States for surgeries to remove transvaginal mesh (TVM) implants.
Christopher Walker, a licensed urogynecologist, was indited for participating in a scheme involving the payment of bribes and kickbacks to obtain referrals of female patients across the United States for surgeries to remove transvaginal mesh (TVM) implants. Wesley Blake Barber, an owner of Surgical Assistance Inc., was also charged for participating in the same scheme.
“With these guilty pleas, both defendants have admitted to participating in a reprehensible bribery and kickback scheme to exploit women across the country in connection with costly transvaginal mesh removal surgeries,” stated Acting United States Attorney Kasulis. “This Office, the Department of Justice and the FBI are committed to investigating and prosecuting medical professionals and others who take advantage of vulnerable victims for their own illegal gain and personal profit.”
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, Barber and Walker sought to profit in connection with lawsuits filed throughout the United States relating to alleged harm that TVM implants had caused female patients. The scheme sought to take advantage of the fact that female patients who had their TVM implants surgically removed were entitled to receive larger settlements than female patients whose inserts remained implanted. As part of the scheme, Walker and others paid kickbacks and bribes to Barber in exchange for the referral of female patients for these surgeries, including patients who traveled across the United States to undergo the surgeries.
When sentenced, Walker faces up to 10 years in prison and has agreed to forfeit approximately $800,000. Barber faces up to 5 years in prison and has agreed to forfeit approximately $1.1 million.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Geddes and Sarah Evans and Trial Attorney Andrew Estes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
The Defendants:
WESLEY BLAKE BARBER
Age: 51
Detroit, Michigan
CHRISTOPHER WALKER
Age: 49
Windermere, Florida
Outcome: Both defendants pleaded guilty.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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