Oklahoma Abortion Doctor Charged With Fraud

Attorney General Scott Pruitt has charged an Oklahoma abortion doctor with fraud for prescribing abortion-inducing drugs to patients who were not pregnant.

According to the AG's office, Dr. Naresh G. Patel, operating the Outpatient Services for Women clinic in Warr Acres, was charged on Tuesday with three counts of obtaining money under a false pretense after improperly prescribing abortion-inducing drugs to patients that he falsely identified as pregnant.

Undercover agents from the Oklahoma Medical Licensure Board, the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Attorney General's Office set up appointments with Patel where the doctor performed ultrasounds and pregnancy tests on the women where he is alleged to have fraudulently identified each undercover agent as pregnant. Afterward, he prescribed them an abortion-inducing drug, provided directions for administering it and charged the female agents for the unnecessary treatment, according to the AG's office.

“This type of fraudulent activity and blatant disregard for the health and well-being of Oklahoma women will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Pruitt. “Oklahoma women should be able to trust that the advice they receive from their physicians is truthful, accurate and does not jeopardize their health. This investigation is a textbook demonstration of inter-agency cooperation to protect Oklahomans and prosecute the worst offenders.”

If convicted, Patel could face up to three years in jail and a maximum fine of $15,000.

Agents from the Attorney General's Office, Warr Acres Police Department and Oklahoma City Police Department also executed search warrants on Patel's business and home Tuesday morning.

According to the AG's office, an investigation into Patel's dubious practices arose from a complaint that he had performed an abortion procedure on Pamela King, even though she was not pregnant. King was diagnosed and died from complications of cervical cancer later that year, and her autopsy determined that she had not been pregnant in the time frame that the abortion procedure occurred.