A physician facing criminal allegations may find themselves dealing with two separate proceedings:

The criminal case AND a Georgia Composite Medical Board matter.

Those proceedings operate under different rules, serve different purposes, and can create very different consequences.

For a Georgia physician, successfully defending the criminal case is critically important—but protecting the medical license may require a coordinated strategy from the beginning.

Does an Arrest Automatically Cause a Georgia Doctor to Lose Their Medical License?

No.

An arrest is an allegation. It is not a conviction and does not establish that the physician committed the alleged offense.

A physician should therefore not assume that being arrested automatically results in suspension or revocation of a Georgia medical license.

But the analysis does not end there.

The Georgia Composite Medical Board has broad regulatory authority over physicians, and criminal allegations can potentially lead to Board scrutiny or investigation depending upon the circumstances.

The Board identifies criminal violations among matters that can warrant formal investigation.

The important distinction is:

An arrest does not automatically equal license discipline—but a criminal case can create a separate licensing problem.

Can the Georgia Medical Board Investigate a Doctor Before the Criminal Case Is Over?

Potentially, yes.

A Medical Board proceeding does not necessarily have to follow the same timeline as the criminal prosecution.

That creates a difficult strategic situation.

The physician may simultaneously have Conaway & Strickler, PC assist with:

prosecutors, agents and investigators and also the the licensing matter requiring interaction with the Georgia Composite Medical Board.

Those proceedings should be coordinated carefully.

Be Careful About Explaining the Arrest to the Medical Board

Physicians are trained to document, explain, and solve problems. After an arrest, that instinct can sometimes create additional risk.

A doctor may want to immediately write a detailed explanation establishing why the allegations are wrong.

That explanation could become important.

But when a criminal investigation or prosecution remains pending, counsel should consider how substantive statements concerning the allegations could affect the criminal case.

The physician may have constitutional protections in the criminal proceeding that do not translate neatly into a professional licensing investigation.

A statement intended to save the medical license should not inadvertently damage the criminal defense.

This is one of the strongest reasons for retaining counsel early on.

What Can the Georgia Medical Board Do?

The consequences of a Board proceeding depend upon the facts, applicable law, and procedural posture.

Potential professional consequences can include conditions or restrictions on practice, probation, suspension, surrender, revocation, and other disciplinary or remedial action authorized by Georgia law.

Not every complaint or investigation results in public discipline.

But once a matter develops into formal public disciplinary action, the consequences may extend beyond the Georgia license itself.

Public discipline can potentially affect credentialing, employment, hospital privileges, other state licenses, malpractice coverage, and future professional opportunities.

Can the Medical Board Act While Criminal Charges Are Still Pending?

The existence of an unresolved criminal case does not necessarily mean that licensing issues must remain frozen until the prosecution ends.

The Georgia Composite Medical Board’s published orders demonstrate that interim restrictions can arise while criminal charges remain pending.

That does not mean that every physician who is arrested will have their license suspended.

The nature of the allegations matters enormously.

A criminal allegation involving medical practice, patient safety, controlled substances, fraud, dishonesty, impairment, or other conduct directly connected to professional responsibilities may present different licensing issues from an unrelated allegation.

The individual facts matter.

What Types of Criminal Charges Can Create Medical-License Problems?

There is no single category of criminal charge that automatically determines the outcome of a Georgia licensing matter.

But allegations that can raise significant professional concerns include:

• health care fraud;
• Medicare or Medicaid fraud;
• unlawful prescribing;
• controlled-substance diversion;
• prescription fraud;
• theft or embezzlement;
• false statements and fraud offenses;
• patient abuse or neglect;
• sexual offenses;
• criminal allegations involving patients;
• offenses allegedly committed through the medical practice; and
• substance-related allegations that raise questions concerning professional practice or patient safety.

The connection between the alleged conduct and the practice of medicine may be particularly important.

What About a DUI Arrest?

A DUI arrest should not automatically be equated with loss of a medical license.

But depending upon the circumstances, a DUI or other substance-related case can raise issues extending beyond the traffic or criminal proceeding.

For example, facts suggesting impairment in connection with patient care or a broader professional-practice issue could create different concerns from an isolated allegation unrelated to medical practice.

The individual circumstances should be evaluated rather than assuming that every DUI produces the same licensing result.

What If the Criminal Charges Are Dismissed?

A dismissal is obviously significant to the criminal case, but physicians should not automatically assume that every licensing issue disappears solely because prosecutors dismiss the charge.

The criminal justice system and professional licensing system apply different procedures and standards.

Conversely, an arrest or allegation should not be treated as proof of professional misconduct merely because it occurred.

Counsel should determine whether a licensing investigation exists and, if so, what steps are necessary to bring it to a favorable conclusion after the criminal matter is resolved.

A Plea Agreement Must Be Reviewed for Medical-License Consequences

This is one of the most important considerations for a physician charged with a crime.

Imagine that the prosecutor offers:

No jail. Reduced charge. Probation. Case closed.

For some clients, that might sound like an excellent resolution.

A physician needs to ask another question:

“What does this plea do to my medical license?”

The exact offense, statutory language, factual basis, plea terminology, and ultimate disposition can potentially affect professional consequences.

The answer should be investigated before the physician enters the plea.

Once a plea has been entered and sentence imposed, attempting to undo an unexpected professional consequence can be considerably more difficult.

Could Medical Board Discipline Affect Hospital Privileges?

Potentially.

A licensing action can create consequences outside the Medical Board proceeding itself.

Hospitals, employers, insurers, and credentialing organizations may have disclosure requirements concerning disciplinary actions.

Certain adverse professional actions may also implicate reporting requirements involving the National Practitioner Data Bank.

This creates a potential domino effect:

Criminal case → licensing proceeding → professional discipline → credentialing or privileges issues.

Avoiding or minimizing that cascade requires thinking several steps ahead. It is important to divulge the arrest and surrounding circumstances on all applications for renewal. Conaway & Strickler, PC can assist with these applications.

What Should a Georgia Doctor Do Immediately After an Arrest?

First, do not assume the criminal case and medical license are separate problems that can be addressed independently.

Before making substantive statements concerning the allegations, the physician should determine what criminal, licensing, employment, credentialing, and reporting obligations may apply.

Physicians should also preserve relevant records and communications and should never alter medical records, create misleading retrospective documentation, destroy evidence, or attempt to influence potential witnesses.

And before accepting any criminal disposition, the physician should understand what that resolution may mean for the medical license.

The Goal Is to Protect Both the Criminal Case and the Medical Career

A physician facing criminal charges has often invested more than a decade in education and training before beginning independent practice.

The consequences of a criminal case therefore cannot be measured solely by the potential sentence.

At Conaway & Strickler, P.C., we understand that representing a physician requires looking beyond the criminal courtroom.

When a Georgia doctor is arrested or placed under investigation, the defense strategy should consider:

the criminal allegations, the Georgia medical license, DEA registration where applicable, hospital privileges, credentialing, federal health care program participation, and the potential long-term impact on the physician’s career.

Georgia Doctor Arrested or Under Investigation? Talk to Counsel Before You Talk to Anyone Else About the Allegations.

If you are a Georgia physician who has been arrested, charged with a crime, contacted by law enforcement, served with a subpoena, or learned that you are under criminal investigation, do not wait until the criminal case is resolved to determine what it means for your medical license.

The decisions made early in the case can affect both proceedings.

Conaway & Strickler, P.C. represents physicians and other professionals facing serious state and federal criminal investigations and prosecutions in Georgia.

If your freedom, medical license, professional reputation, and career are at stake, the defense needs to account for all of them.

Contact Conaway & Strickler, P.C. to discuss the criminal case and the potential consequences for your Georgia medical license before making decisions that may be difficult—or impossible—to reverse.

Frequently Asked Questions About Georgia Medical Licenses and Criminal Charges

Does an arrest automatically cause a Georgia doctor to lose their medical license?

No. An arrest is not a conviction and should not be treated as an automatic license revocation. Criminal allegations can, however, potentially lead to investigation or other action by the Georgia Composite Medical Board depending upon the circumstances.

Can the Georgia Medical Board investigate a physician while criminal charges are pending?

A licensing matter can potentially proceed while a criminal matter remains unresolved. This makes coordination between the criminal-defense and licensing strategies particularly important.

Should I respond to the Medical Board without a lawyer if criminal charges are pending?

A physician should consider obtaining legal advice before making substantive statements about allegations that are also the subject of an active criminal investigation or prosecution. Statements made in one proceeding can potentially have consequences in another.

Can a felony conviction affect a Georgia medical license?

Yes. A felony conviction can have significant professional-licensing consequences. The specific consequences depend upon the offense, facts, applicable Georgia law, and action taken by the Georgia Composite Medical Board.

Will a DUI cause a Georgia physician to lose their medical license?

A DUI arrest does not automatically mean a physician will lose a medical license. The particular circumstances, including whether the allegations implicate professional practice or patient safety, can matter.

What happens if the criminal charges against the doctor are dismissed?

Dismissal of the criminal charge is highly significant but does not necessarily answer every question in a separate licensing proceeding. If a Board investigation has already begun, counsel should determine what remains necessary to resolve it.

Should a physician consider medical-license consequences before accepting a plea?

Absolutely. A proposed plea should be analyzed for licensing and other professional consequences before it is entered. A resolution that appears favorable from a sentencing perspective may have separate consequences for a physician’s career.

DME Fraud

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) fraud remains a cornerstone of federal enforcement as seen in the recent takedown. An indictment in the Western District of New York charges a medical doctor with billing roughly $29.6 million for fictious DME and $5.6 million for audio-only telehealth visits, which were brief or never occurred. That doctor produced and maintained false and fictitious medical records and fraudulently certified orders for braces without regard to medical necessity. The doctor now faces federal criminal charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and false statements relating to health care matters.

In “Operation Gold Rush,” prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York indicted 11 defendants, including two pharmacists, members of a transnational criminal organization based in Russia and Eastern Europe. These individuals allegedly orchestrated a massive Medicare fraud and money-laundering scheme that billed over $10.6 billion to federal health programs—making it the largest case by loss amount ever charged by the DOJ. The group used foreign straw owners to acquire dozens of U.S.-based DME suppliers, then submitted fraudulent claims for equipment such as urinary catheters and glucose monitors that never delivered, exploiting stolen identities and confidential patient data. To date, 19 defendants have been charged in the case, including multiple arrests abroad (Estonia) and at U.S. entry points.

COVID-19 Testing Kickbacks

COVID-19 testing kickback schemes typically involve health care providers or marketers billing Medicare for over-the-counter or lab-based COVID-19 tests that were unnecessary, never provided, or obtained through illicit referrals. These cases often rely on the same core tactics as DME fraud: using stolen or misused patient information, paying illegal kickbacks for referrals, and submitting inflated or false claims to federal programs. In both types of fraud, the perpetrators exploit gaps in oversight during high-demand periods—such as the pandemic or public health emergencies—to rapidly bill large amounts to Medicare, often with little or no patient interaction or verification.

These 2025 takedown includes criminal indictments and civil settlement agreements targeting this type of COVID-19 fraud. An indictment out of Illinois charged multiple individuals, including a physician, for their roles in a kickback scheme. According to the indictment, the defendants caused laboratories in Illinois and Texas to submit fraudulent claims to the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program, ultimately receiving over $293 million in payments. The physician involved allegedly misused patient information—including data from a former hospital employer—to falsely claim that uninsured individuals had submitted samples for COVID-19 testing. In reality, many of the patients had not submitted samples at all. Defendants submitted claims through Texas labs they owned, despite those labs being non-operational. The proceeds were then laundered through various financial accounts to disguise the funds’ origin. Charges include wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, HIPAA violations, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Authorities have seized a Rolls Royce Phantom and more than $104 million in assets linked to the fraud.

The charges being brought by the federal government in these cases carry significant criminal penalties and collateral consequences, especially for licensed medical professionals. At Conaway & Strickler, we are highly experienced in defending against these types of claims. Contact us to schedule a consultation and discuss your case.

The DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Unit coordinated the investigation with the help of strike forces across the nation. Key aspects of the historical take down include the following:

• Enormous monetary scale: Again, the federal government alleges $14.6 billion in intended losses in total across the criminal cases. Law enforcement has already seized $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and assets from alleged fraudsters. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also proactively prevented $4 billion in fraudulent payments, suspended billing privileges of 205 providers.
• Civil charges and settlements: In addition to criminal charges being levied, law enforcement has also sought civil penalties from other providers and medical professionals. This includes civil charges against 20 defendants for $14.2 million in alleged fraud, as well as civil settlements with 106 defendants totaling $34.3 million.
• Transnational criminal networks: A major component—Operation Gold Rush—alleges a global ring used foreign straw owners to submit $10.6 billion in false claims for durable medical equipment. Though CMS blocked all but ~$41 million in Medicare payouts, insurers received about $900  Individuals abroad and co-conspirators in the U.S. used encrypted messaging and assumed identities to facilitate the purchase of medical supply companies and subsequent fraud by exploiting the stolen identities of over one million Americans spanning all 50 states and using their confidential medical information to submit the fraudulent claims.
• Telemarketing/genetic testing schemes: One $703 million scheme involved deceptive telemarketing, AI-generated “consent” calls, and stolen Medicare IDs—all to bill labs and DME suppliers
• Wound-care fraud on vulnerable patients: Roughly $1.1 billion in fraudulent Medicare submissions for amniotic allografts were applied to terminally‑ill or hospice patients, without medical need or oversight
• Opioid prescription diversion: 74 defendants, including 44 medical professionals, are accused of diverting over 15 million pills (e.g., oxycodone, hydrocodone), feeding the illegal drug trade
• Genetic testing & telemedicine: At least 49 defendants were tied to over $1.17 billion in telemedicine/genetic testing fraud, a key enforcement focus of the Takedown.

These are just some of the schemes and methods alleged as health care fraud. Additional cases totaling approximately $1.84 billion involved medically unnecessary tests and treatments, kickbacks, and stolen controlled substances. DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Unit, along with FBI, HHS‑OIG, DEA, CMS, and state AGs, led this nationwide operation. The Government was able to leverage cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to identify emerging health care fraud schemes. Specifically, a new Data Fusion Center used AI to spot suspicious billing patterns

Professionals in the medical industry could face disruptions based on these trends. Individuals could be criminally indicted despite a lack of financial gain for any peripheral involvement in these schemes. With over 205 providers with billing privileges already suspended or revoked, firms must evaluate billing practices and ensure compliance before audits or criminal actions escalate. Medical professionals and individuals in the industry should be proactive in address any potential problems. Assessing practices through comprehensive billing audits, tightening consent documentation and patient qualification protocols, and reviewing prescribing practices are key to ensuring compliance.

Given the unprecedented scope of this takedown, anyone involved in Medicare/Medicaid billing—especially in telemedicine, genetic testing, wound care, DME supply, opioid prescribing—should evaluate their practices now. Protecting your license, assets, and reputation hinges on early legal counsel, transparent operations, and robust documentation. Upon any contact from law enforcement, individuals should secure legal counsel immediately. The presumption of innocence matters, and charges are allegations—not convictions. Early intervention and strong representation can shift outcomes. Medical providers should document everything diligently. Medical necessity, patient consent, referrals, and codes must be in writing and defensible.

Even if charges carry potential fines or incarceration, negotiated resolutions mitigating those consequences are viable. At Conaway & Strickler, we are highly experienced in federal health care fraud cases. Contact us to discuss your situation confidentially—we’re here to protect your rights and your future.

The indictment also charges Ranjit Gupta and Rupesh Agarwal, former executives of a renewable-energy company with securities that had traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal and Deepak Malhotra, former employees of a Canadian institutional investor, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in connection with a bribery scheme also perpetrated by Gautam S. Adani, Sagar R. Adani and Vneet S. Jaain, involving one of the world’s largest solar energy projects.

The indictment alleges that more than $250 Million in bribes were promised to secure solar enery contracts worth 2 billion dollars over two decades.

The SEC also unveiled a complaint charging Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani, executives of Adani Green Energy Ltd., and Cyril Cabanes, an executive of Azure Power Global Ltd., for conduct arising out of the same massive bribery scheme discussed in the EDNY. complaint. The SEC also alleges that the bribery scheme was orchestrated to enable the two renewable energy companies to capitalize on a multi-billion-dollar solar energy project that the companies had been awarded by the Indian government. During the alleged scheme, Adani Green raised more than $175 million from U.S. investors and Azure Power’s stock was traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The indictment alleges, among other things:

1. There was a FBI raid in March 2023.   Gautam Adani failed to inform SEBI and the Indian stock exchange of this FBI raid and the DOJ investigation, which he was required to do. But he also thereafter lied when he denied that either had happened.
2. False statements in the annual reports. Guatam Adani emailed himself photographs of the search warrant of his nephew in March 2023.  He will be unable to say he was not aware of being investigation at that time.
3. False statements to US investors
4. When the search was executed on the nephew, Sagar Adani, electronic devices were seized.  This will be a treasure trove of data for the government to use in their prosecution.  The government cites “bribe notes” that Sagar kept on his phone to track specific details of bribes offered and promised to government officials.  It may very well be possible as this case proceeds that a superceding indictment is forthcoming and both Gautam and Sagar Adani will be charged with FCPA violations as well.
5. Co-Conspirator #1 and #2 may have cooperated with the government, and thus they may help corroborate what “numero uno” and other code names meant when texting amongst themselves about the conspiracy.

The defendants do not live in the United States, and it appears only one has dual citizenship in the US.  So, should any of these defendants enter US soil, they will be immediately detained and transferred to the EDNY for processing. Both Gautam and Sagar Adani have not been arrested yet and US prosecutors would need to ask the Indian government to extradite them under the terms of the countries’ extradition treaty.  India would need to consider whether the crime he was charged with in the US is also a crime in India, whether the charges are politically motivated or whether he could face inhumane treatment in the US.  As Meg Strickler stated in The Quint, there probably will be a superceding indictment that will include more charges.

Conaway & Strickler, PC handles many bribery cases.  Contact us if you need more information or are facing such charges.