Prosecutors charged Dr. Sudipt Deshmukh with manslaughter after the death of a patient treated for severe medical ailments. He was indicted by the New York State Attorney General’s Office in 2021 for manslaughter, reckless endangerment, criminal sale of a prescription of a controlled substance, and health care fraud. The charges were based more on the volume of controlled substances prescribed instead of actual evidence that Dr. Deshmukh unlawfully prescribed. If convicted, he was facing 15 years in prison.
Recognizing the powerful impact of SHG Healthcare’s Defense Investigations and significant results in other cases, Defense Attorney Joe Damelio and Dr. Deshmukh turned to SHG Healthcare for expert advice and assistance in preparation for this pivotal trial. Lead CCG healthcare compliance expert Mike Staples assisted the defense as the lead healthcare compliance investigator and secured the testimony of the Defense medical expert.
Dr. Deshmukh was a native of India and earned his Bachelor’s of medicine from Bangalore University’s Bangalore Medical College in 1987. He was a primary care physician with Rochester Regional Health. The charges revolved around the treatment of several patients who were prescribed opioid pain medications by Dr. Deshmukh. The AG believed that Dr. Deshmukh flagrantly prescribed which resulted in death and addiction.
The defense investigation revealed that one patient in question had three back surgeries that resulted in unbearable pain and bariatric surgery that was unsuccessful. Dr. Deshmukh did prescribe opioids to the patient but also spent considerable time examining the patient to determine the medical necessity of the prescriptions.
On May 26, Dr. Deshmukh was acquitted of all charges after the two week trial and is free to return to practice.
Following the verdict, Dr. Deshmukh’s defense counsel Joe Damelio commented:
“We would not have obtained the result we did if you did not load us up with the cache of ammo you provided us with. It was like you knew everything they were going to throw at us. We were always one step ahead and your medical expert sealed the deal. A million thank yous.”
Joe Damelio
Third Prominent Acquittal this Year by CCG’s Investigations Team
This marks the third acquittal this year for the SHG team. In January 2023, SHG was the lead investigation team in the acquittal of Dr. Lesly Pompy, a renowned Cleveland Clinic trained interventional anesthesiologist. Last June, SHG was the lead investigative team in the acquittal of four physicians including Dr. Rajendra Bothra and Dr. David Lewis both interventional pain physicians.
SHG Healthcare provides an off the shelf solution for attorneys and physicians defending health care fraud and opioid prescribing allegations. Our experts include former health care fraud investigators, state medical board investigators, legal nurse consultants, former DEA agents. Our healthcare defense investigators have worked on both sides of the isle and stand poised ready to provide any healthcare professional with a robust defense to Government allegations.
