A Texas doctor who inflicted devastating harm on patients — including healthy children — in a years-long scheme to fund his extravagant lifestyle has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Dr. Jorge Zamora-Quezada, 68, a once-prominent rheumatologist, was convicted of deliberately misdiagnosing patients and prescribing them toxic treatments, including chemotherapy, to rake in millions from Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers. His crimes, according to the Department of Justice, earned him at least $28 million in fraudulently obtained funds, used to buy a Maserati, a private jet, and luxury real estate.
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Prosecutors say Zamora-Quezada diagnosed numerous individuals — many of them children and young adults — with nonexistent autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. These false diagnoses led to life-altering consequences for victims, including strokes, liver damage, hair loss, necrosis of the jawbone, and chronic pain.
“I didn’t feel like my life had any meaning,” one patient told the court.
During the 25-day trial in 2020, medical experts testified that it was “obvious” many of Zamora-Quezada’s patients had no chronic illness. The jury found him guilty on nine counts, including conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
According to court documents:
- Zamora-Quezada filed $118 million in false claims.
- He used the money to buy a fleet of high-end vehicles, fund luxury travel, and amass a portfolio of properties.
- He pressured employees to comply with the scheme and concealed records in a separate file storage facility.
Victims filled the courtroom with tearful statements. One woman, who received unnecessary chemo treatments as a child, is now bedridden at 20 years old. Others described irreversible damage and lost years of life.
“I hope you rot in hell,” one victim told Zamora-Quezada.
Matthew R. Galeotti of the DOJ’s Criminal Division condemned the doctor’s actions:
“His depraved conduct represents a profound betrayal of trust… Today’s sentence is not just a punishment — it’s a warning.”
Zamora-Quezada was also ordered to repay the $28 million in fraudulently billed payments to insurance companies.
The case serves as one of the most egregious examples of medical fraud in recent U.S. history — a stark reminder of the damage one trusted professional can inflict in pursuit of personal wealth.
