Essex County Doc, In Trouble For Penis Injections, Admits Amtrak Fraud

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An Essex County doctor who was accused in 2021 of performing penile and breast enhancements that posed a "clear and imminent danger” has now admitted to defrauding Amtrak, according to the U.S. Attorney General's Office.

Late last month, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced that Muhammad Mirza, 50, of Cedar Grove, pleaded guilty by videoconference to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from April 2017 through June 2022, Mirza and his conspirators "agreed to engage in a scheme to bill the Amtrak health care plan for fraudulent claims for services that either were never provided or were medically unnecessary."

Federal prosecutors say, "They would recruit Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme by paying them to allow the conspirators to use their patient and insurance information to submit false and fraudulent claims. Mirza and his conspirators submitted false and fraudulent claims that caused Amtrak losses of more than $1.3 million."

Prosecutors named a podiatrist as a conspirator, documents say.

The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2023.

In 2021, Mirza's medical license was suspended for his use of dermal fillers for off-label purposes – including non-surgical penile and breast enhancements – which prosecutors said posed a “clear and imminent danger” to the public. READ MORE: NJ Doc's Penis, Breast Enhancements 'Danger' To Public: Officials