A New York Doctor Sentenced for Fraudulent Brain Scan Scheme

A New York physician has been sentenced in federal court for participating in a long‑running kickback scheme that involved ordering medically unnecessary brain scans. The scheme highlighted how kickbacks involving unnecessary brain scans functioned within fraudulent activities. According to federal prosecutors justice.gov, Dr. Vishnudat Seodat, 76, of Mattituck, New York, received cash payments in exchange for directing patients to undergo transcranial doppler (TCD) scans they did not need.

On December 17, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton sentenced Seodat to two years of supervised release, including one year of home confinement. He must also pay a $50,000 fine, $52,100 in forfeiture, and $342,876 in restitution. Seodat previously pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud justice.gov.

How the Scheme Worked

Seodat practiced internal medicine in Long Island for more than three decades. Between 2013 and 2019, he conspired with individuals connected to a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed TCD scans. These scans measure blood flow in the brain—but in this case, they were ordered based on false diagnoses created solely to generate billable tests, all facilitated by kickbacks on unnecessary brain scans.

For each unnecessary scan, Seodat received approximately $100 in cash kickbacks. The unnecessary brain scan kickbacks were a critical part of the fraud. The diagnostic company then submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare and private insurers, ultimately generating about $1 million in false billing justice.gov.

Federal Agencies Respond

The case was investigated and announced by multiple federal agencies, including:

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Postal Inspection Service
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General

The prosecution was handled by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts justice.gov.

Why This Case Matters

This case highlights a recurring pattern in medical fraud:
Unnecessary testing + falsified diagnoses + kickbacks = massive losses for taxpayers and insurers. This fraud heavily relied on brain scan kickbacks that were unnecessary.

It also underscores the importance of reporting suspicious medical billing, unusual diagnostic patterns, or pressure to undergo tests that don’t make sense.