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A Cypriot neurosurgeon has been sentenced to 32 months in prison for deceiving patients and defrauding the General Health System. The doctor, who persuaded a patient to buy a magnetic brain valve from his wife for €1,500 despite it being provided free by the hospital, was found guilty of multiple charges.
The Nicosia District Court handed down a concurrent sentence of several months, the longest being 32 months for the offence of abuse of power. Additionally, the neurosurgeon received a 28-month sentence for securing goods by false representation and an 18-month sentence for money laundering.
The case, which came to light in May 2016 following a patient complaint, involved the doctor convincing the patient that the valve supplied by his wife was superior to the hospital-provided one. The patient's surgery at Nicosia General Hospital exposed the scam.
Judge Xenis Xenophontos stated that the doctor "does not deserve a second chance" due to the severity of his actions and the significant role he played in the offences.
The doctor's wife, who was also charged, received suspended sentences on three counts, suspended for three years, to mitigate the impact on the couple's minor daughter.
The investigation and subsequent trial highlighted serious breaches of trust within the medical community, calling into question the integrity of those tasked with patient care.
[Source: 24News]
