NORFOLK, Va. - A judge has decided not to grand bond to Dr. Javaid Perwaiz, the Chesapeake doctor who was charged with performing unnecessary surgeries on unsuspecting patients.
The 69-year-old allegedly performed procedures including hysterectomies and the removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Javaid Perwaiz
During Friday's hearing, which lasted about three hours, prosecutors argued that Perwaiz has the financial means to flee to Pakistan. They said he is a danger to the community and a flight risk.
Perwaiz's defense attorneys have argued that he hasn't been to Pakistan since 2003 and that he has no intention of going there. They argued that he has delivered 10,000 babies in the last 36 years and claim that many of his patients are happy with the way he treated them.
The FBI started investigating Perwaiz in September 2018 after receiving a tip from a hospital employee. His patients advised hospital staff they were present for their "annual clean outs." In many instances, reports say the patients were not aware of the procedures they were undergoing.
State records from the Virginia Board of Medicine show Perwaiz faced similar allegations in the 1980s. At that time, his privileges were suspended at Maryview Hospital following more than a dozen surgeries, including hysterectomies. The records also say he admitted to having a sexual relationship with a patient in 1983, but at the time he only was censored.
About 15 years later, the records show his medical license was temporarily suspended when he pleaded guilty to two counts of tax evasion.
Investigators say his surgeries resulted in permanent injuries to three patients and life-threatening injuries to two patients.
Perwaiz pleaded not guilty on December 18, 2019. He was also charged with 11 felonies, including health care fraud, making false statements related to health care matters and aggravated identity theft.
Click here for our full coverage on the malpractice case against Dr. Javaid Perwaiz.
