NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Chesapeake women’s doctor accused of performing unnecessary surgeries on patients appeared in court Friday, asking to be released on bond.
A judge denied the request, citing that he could be a flight risk and danger to the community.
Dr. Javaid Perwaiz was arrested in early November and is being held without bond at the Western Tidewater Regional Jail.
Investigators have accused him of performing several unnecessary surgeries on his female patients, including hysterectomies. He’s also accused of making false statements relating to health care matters.
On Friday, prosecutors told the judge Perwaiz has made $8 million from insurance companies since 2010, $3 million of that was from doing surgeries.
The government was told by Medicaid that Perwaiz did 500 surgeries between 2014 and 2018. Forty percent of those patents had two or more surgeries.
Prosecutors say Perwaiz routinely performed hysteroscopies, an invasive procedure that allow doctors to look inside a woman’s uterus.
During a 2012 audit, Optima looked at his diagnostic hysteroscopies. They found almost 11 percent of his Optima patients had the procedure, compared to 1 percent by other doctors. Twelve percent of his patients had surgical hysteroscopies, compared to 1 percent of other doctors. He made $430,000 from those procedures during that time period.
The government also says most of his new patients ended up with some sort of surgery.
Prosecutors argued Friday Perwaiz is a flight risk because of his net worth. They said he has cars, stocks, gold bars and bank accounts.
Defense attorneys estimate his net worth at $3 to 4 million.
The government was concerned with his ties to Pakistan, where he is from, though defense attorneys argued he hasn’t been back to Pakistan since 2003 and surrendered his passport.
Prosecutors also introduced numerous documents where he changed his date of birth, and one where he changed his name.
Judge Rebecca Smith said Perwaiz has all the characteristics of being a flight risk, and he poses a danger to society because he still he has a medical license.
“He has a manipulative personality and a means to leave the country,” Smith added.
Perwaiz pleaded not guilty to 11 charges against him last month, but more could be coming.
The FBI has interviewed more than 50 of his former patients and there are still more interviews to go.
If you are a patient or former patient of Perwaiz and have a tip or information relating to the case, email Adrienne Mayfield (adrienne.mayfield@wavy.com) or Jason Marks (jason.marks@wavy.com).
Stay with WAVY.com for updates.