Below Supernav ↴

 

Main Area Top ↴

Where should you turn if you’ve been harmed by a doctor? What should you do if reporting that harm leads to a dead end?

A dead end is where women found themselves after filing complaints against obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Javaid Perwaiz. Perwaiz was kind to his patients, but behind his warm exterior was a cunning businessman who made millions off of fake medical diagnoses, unnecessary surgeries, and falsified insurance claims. The scheme that made him successful would also be his downfall. He was arrested in 2019 after a nurse raised concerns about him to the FBI. In “The Patients v. Perwaiz,” 10 On Your Side investigators uncovered red flags that were ignored by the healthcare system during his 40-year career.

“The Patients v. Perwaiz” is a 10 On Your Side online-exclusive investigation. Investigators Jason Marks, Kevin Romm, and Adrienne Mayfield spent more than a year investigating Perwaiz and spoke with nearly two dozen patients and nurses who knew him.


  Watch THE TEN-PART SERIES

  • chapter one

    Dr. Javaid Perwaiz made money by performing unnecessary procedures and surgeries on trusting women. His arrest raised major concerns for patients and nurses who knew him. 10 On Your Side investigated Perwaiz for more than a year. We uncovered red flags and whistleblowers ignored by the healthcare system. Could someone have stopped Perwaiz before the FBI had to step in?    Watch

  • chapter 2

    Dr. Javaid Perwaiz immigrated from Pakistan to the United States when he started his OB-GYN residency in the 1970s. He made Hampton Roads his home in 1980 when he began his first job in Portsmouth. He quickly made a name for himself and opened a successful solo practice in Chesapeake. 10 On Your Side investigators dug into Perwaiz’ past and his medical practice. He made millions of dollars, but at what price?     Watch

  • chapter 3

    The successful OB-GYN practice Dr. Javaid Perwaiz built for himself began to crumble around him in October 2019. After a year-long investigation, the FBI raided Perwaiz’ Chesapeake office. Officers seized thousands of patient records and his diagnostic equipment. Even after the raid, Perwaiz was still seeing patients and scheduling surgeries. Federal prosecutors had to take action to get the scalpel out of his hands.  Watch

  • chapter 4

    A nurse’s anonymous tip led to the investigation that would end Dr. Javaid Perwaiz’ career. But, years before the FBI’s investigation, the federal indictment, and the jury trial, other women were suspicious of the OB-GYN. Some of these women noticed red flags in Perwaiz’ career and reported them to health care professionals, including the Virginia Board of Medicine. These women say they were ignored.  Watch

  • chapter 5

    Routine checkups often led to invasive surgeries for Dr. Javaid Perwaiz’ patients. Some women believed they were perfectly healthy when they stepped into the OB-GYN’s Chesapeake office, but they found themselves going under the knife just days after their appointments. How did Perwaiz persuade women into having life-altering surgeries?   Watch

  • chapter 6

    Women saw Dr. Javaid Perwaiz for routine exams, and he often diagnosed them with ailments they didn’t know they had. The OB-GYN’s recommended treatment? Surgery. Perwaiz used in-office exams to justify surgeries, but our investigators found he wasn’t particularly gifted at catching illnesses in the early stages. Many of the diagnostic procedures he performed were deceptive.   Watch

  • chapter 7

    Dr. Javaid Perwaiz told federal authorities that he was present for the births of every single one of his pregnant patients. Perwaiz delivered a lot of babies, but those births didn’t always go according to plan. Prosecutors said Perwaiz often induced women early, putting their newborns in jeopardy. 10 On Your Side investigators spoke with mothers who say their babies were harmed during birth by Perwaiz.   Watch

  • chapter 8

    A federal jury convicted Dr. Javaid Perwaiz of performing unnecessary surgeries and procedures on unsuspecting women. But what was the motivation for his crimes? Prosecutors say he was driven by money — and a lot of it. How much money did the OB-GYN make and what did he spend the cash on?    Watch

  • chapter 8

    10 On Your Side investigators discovered that patients, nurses, and health insurance companies identified red flags in Dr. Javaid Perwaiz’ career in the decades before he was arrested. Patients say that complaints to the Virginia Board of Medicine went uninvestigated, and nurses say reports to local hospitals were ignored. Could health care officials have stepped in to stop Perwaiz sooner?   Watch

  • chapter 10

    Justice — it’s what former patients of Dr. Javaid Perwaiz are seeking even after his federal conviction. But how can they find it? The OB-GYN’s crimes left lasting physical and emotional scars on several of the women he treated. They tell us that his May sentencing will be the first step in a lifetime of healing.   Watch

Patient Diaries

10 On Your Side spent more than a year investigating Dr. Javaid Perwaiz. Our investigation began shortly after the obstetrician-gynecologist was arrested and charged with performing unnecessary procedures and surgeries on unsuspecting women in order to profit from a health insurance fraud scheme. Our investigators interviewed more than a dozen of his former patients on camera during this investigation. These patients shared their experiences with the doctor, including the procedures and surgeries they endured and the long-lasting impact Perwaiz had on their lives.

Watch these patient diaries to hear their stories in their own words.

GLOSSARY

While watching “The Patients v. Perwaiz” viewers will hear several medical terms that describe the procedures and surgeries Dr. Javaid Perwaiz performed during his career as an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Virginia Beach fertility specialist Dr. Robin Poe-Zeigler helped 10 On Your Side investigators create a glossary that explains 10 of these medical terms. Use this glossary to learn about each medical term and how each procedure and surgery is performed.

ADHESIONS– The abnormal union of separate tissue surfaces by new fibrous tissue resulting from an inflammatory process; the newly formed uniting tissue.  Watch Video> Cone Biopsy– A procedure in which a cone-shaped piece of abnormal tissue is removed from the cervix. Watch Video> Cyst – A closed sac having a distinct membrane and developing abnormally in a cavity or structure of the body. Watch Video> Dilation and Curettage– A medical procedure in which the uterine cervix is dilated and a curette is inserted into the uterus to scrape away the endometrium (as for the diagnosis or treatment of abnormal bleeding or for surgical abortion during the early part of the second trimester of pregnancy). Watch Video> Ectopic Pregnancy– Development of a fertilized egg elsewhere than in the uterus (as in a fallopian tube or the peritoneal cavity). Watch Video> Endometriosis – The presence and growth of functioning and endometrial tissue in places other than the uterus that often results in severe pain and infertility. Watch Video> Hysterectomy – Surgical removal of the uterus. Watch Video> Hysteroscopy – Visual examination of the cervix and interior of the uterus with an endoscope. Watch Video> Laparoscopy – Visual examination of the abdomen by means of a laparoscopy; an operation (such as tubal ligation or gallbladder removal) involving laparoscopy. Watch Video> Tubal Ligation– Ligation of the fallopian tubes that by preventing passage of ova from the ovaries to the uterus serves as a method of female sterilization. Watch Video>

 

Main Area Middle ↴

Test Title

View All 10 On Your Side

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Politics

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Politics

 

Main Area Bottom ↴
Sidebar Top ↴

Don't Miss

Investigations

View All Investigations