Doctor charged in transvaginal mesh fraud
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NEW YORK, - A doctor and a surgical funding consultant were arrested on Friday on charges that they defrauded women into having unnecessary surgeries to remove transvaginal mesh implants in order to profit from settlements paid to the women by mesh manufacturers, U.S. prosecutors in New York said.
Urogynecologist Christopher Walker, 49, of Florida, and Wesley Barber, 49, of Michigan, were both charged with wire fraud and conspiracy in an indictment unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn.
Barber, who is the owner of Surgical Assistance Inc and Medical Funding Consultants LLC, was arrested in Texas and Walker in Florida, authorities said.
Lawyers for Walker and Barber could not immediately be reached for comment.
Transvaginal mesh implants, which have been pulled from the U.S. market, were commonly implanted in women to repair weakened or damaged tissue and provide support in cases of pelvic organ prolapse. Tens of thousands of lawsuits have been filed in recent years against medical device manufacturers saying their transvaginal mesh implants caused pain, perforations, urinary problems, bleeding and other injuries.
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