For the patients of Dr. Farid Fata, it appears the cure was substantially worse than the disease, but only because in many cases, there wasn’t a disease in the first place.

According to the Associated Press, Fata, a southeastern Michigan cancer specialist, is set to face sentencing for a six-year spree of improperly and unnecessarily treating his patients in order to receive millions in insurance payments. In a sentencing memo filed ahead of a July 6th hearing, the prosecutors revealed the toll of Fata’s alleged deception from 2007 to 2013: four insurance companies, 553 patients, and over 9,000 unneeded chemotherapy infusions or injections. "Fata...is not comparable to any other crime in this district in the scope and enormity of the fraud and degree of betrayal,” the U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday, according to the AP.

As reported by Medical Daily, Fata, after an investigation and arrest spearheaded by the FBI, turned himself in and pleaded guilty to 13 counts of fraud, one count of conspiracy, and two counts of money laundering this past September. According to prosecutors, Fata would provide expensive chemotherapy sessions to terminally ill patients and even those who had no cancer at all, having falsified a diagnosis. "At times, Fata bullied, berated and browbeat patients who dared to question his treatment, telling them they risked death without him or in the case of a patient who could not afford co-pays, ‘It's your life or your money,’” prosecutors said.

Stripped of his medical license in January of 2014, Fata can technically apply for a renewal in less than five years, but prosecutors are angling to make sure there won’t be much use for it, seeking a 175-year prison sentence.

After reading through the original complaint, it’s hard to argue otherwise. In one of many atrocious examples, Fata was reported to enforce “maintenance” chemotherapy sessions for patients whose cancer had gone into remission. Fata also purportedly allowed unlicensed doctors to perform examinations, unnecessarily injected intravenous iron into patients, and performed unsterilized blood marrow biopsies.