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Trial Set for Valley Doctor Accused of Misdiagnosing Patients for Profit

4 years 8 months 3 days ago Friday, July 26 2019 Jul 26, 2019 July 26, 2019 5:39 PM July 26, 2019 in News - Local

MCALLEN - After more than a year since the arrest of a Rio Grande Valley doctor accused of misdiagnosing patients for profit, there's a trial date set. 

During the status conference hearing at the McAllen Federal Courthouse, Judge Ricardo Hinojosa said he was beginning to worry about due process.

Instead of accepting the government attorney's proposal to start trial in October, the judge set it for September. 

It's a complex legal case involving voluminous medical and financial records.

It's been over a year since Dr. Jorge Zamora Quezada and his wife Meisy Zamora were taken into custody.

They're accused of misdiagnosing patients, over-billing them, laundering the money, and then trying to cover it up.

Exactly how much money is not clear.

The government was challenged on this issue. At one point during the hearing they said they believed the couple over-billed in the millions of dollars by establishing a certain billing goal.

The judge cautioned they won't need to prove all 10,000 patients enlisted in the office were over-charged to secure a conviction.

They will have to submit evidence to show exactly how much money was improperly charged during sentencing. 

Attorneys for the doctor and his wife also requested funds be released to the couple.

The judge instructed them to submit a complete financial statement to demonstrate they don't have available funds from any other sources before the government is ordered to release funds. 

The children were present at the hearing.

They were allowed to visit with their parents after it was over; the mother might soon be released.

The judge sent her case for reconsideration of release to a magistrate judge.

Her bond hearing is scheduled for July 30.

Dr. Zamora-Quezada will remain in custody until the trial; that's scheduled for Sept. 18.

The government attorneys estimate it could take up to three weeks.

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