Full Measure After Hours

Episode Title: After Hours: A Doctor’s Broken Trust
Host: Sharyl Attkisson
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Sharyl Attkisson explores the harrowing case of Dr. Havaid Perwaiz, a once-trusted OBGYN in Virginia, who committed health care fraud and medically unnecessary—and often irreversible—procedures on his patients. Attkisson is joined by Maureen Dixon, Special Agent with the Health and Human Services Inspector General's Office, who led the investigation that resulted in Dr. Perwaiz’s conviction. The episode delves into the extent of Perwaiz’s deceit, the tactics he used to manipulate patients, and the broader implications for patient trust and healthcare oversight.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Dr. Havaid Perwaiz’s Background and Abuse of Trust

• Perwaiz’s Local Reputation: Perwaiz was seen as a pillar of the Hampton Roads, Virginia, medical community, delivering babies for generations and cementing family trust.
  • Quote: “He delivered babies, grandparents sent their daughters to him. He really was kind of an institution in that area. And unfortunately what he did was take advantage of that trust and violate his sacred oath.” — Maureen Dixon [01:37]
• Violation for Profit: He leveraged his standing to commit egregious health care fraud and patient abuse, prioritizing financial gain over patient welfare.

Concrete Examples of Harm and Fraud

• Unnecessary Early Deliveries: Perwaiz would purposely induce labor and deliver babies before 39 weeks—riskier for both mothers and infants—to fit his schedule and guarantee payment.
  • Nurses called these “Perwaiz Specials”.
  • Quote: “He was altering the dates so that he could deliver the babies on A date that was convenient for him... it can result in more danger to the mother and the baby.” — Dixon [02:41]
• Surgeries Beyond Consent: Patients would consent to one type of surgery—e.g., ovary removal—but wake to find a hysterectomy was performed instead. He routinely did procedures that were never medically necessary, often fabricating reasons such as non-existent cancer.
• Manipulation and Coercion:
  • He exploited Medicaid sterilization policies by forging consent dates and pressuring patients into rapid procedures with misleading information (“sterilization is easily reversible”), often using fear tactics about cancer.
  • Quote: “He was pressuring individuals... indicating that if they didn’t, there was a chance they could get cancer. Not to worry, because sterilization is easily reversible, which most medical doctors will tell you that’s not accurate.” — Dixon [06:21]

Scope and Scale of the Crimes

• Large Patient Base: Perwaiz saw 4,000–5,000 patients per year for decades, amplifying the potential scale of harm.
  • Quote: “He typically saw 4 to 5,000 patients a year. That’s a pretty high patient base for a solo practitioner.” — Dixon [04:20]

How the Case Broke

• Whistleblower Complaint: An anonymous nurse reported suspiciously high rates of surgery—especially on Medicaid patients—via a federal hotline in September 2018.
  • Quote: "The FBI actually got a hotline complaint from an anonymous individual who claimed to be a nurse..." — Dixon [04:57]
• Federal Response: The FBI and HHS moved quickly, evaluating the evidence and coordinating to halt further patient harm.

Major Schemes and Red Flags

• Falsified Diagnoses and Documentation:
  • Diagnosed patients with cancer who did not have it; sometimes claimed to perform biopsies that never happened.
  • Fabricated symptoms (e.g., “pelvic pain,” “heavy menstrual bleeding”) in meticulous records to justify unnecessary interventions.
    • Quote: “The reality is his records are all lies.” — Dixon [20:36]
• Equipment Malpractice: Used a diagnostic light with a broken LED for a full year, rendering examinations ineffective while billing for them.
  • Quote: “For all of 2016, the light did not work...” — Dixon [08:24]

Quantifying the Impact

• Victims and Financial Toll:
  • Indictment covered 50 patients, but likely hundreds affected. A crisis hotline received over 500 calls post-arrest.
  • Estimated $20 million defrauded; $2 million immediately forfeited, $20 million ordered in restitution.
  • Some victims may never be able to have children due to unnecessary surgeries.
  • Quote: “While recovering $20 million...is important, it really pales in comparison to stopping what he was doing to all these patients and women who may never be able to have children...” — Dixon [10:41]

Investigation and Legal Proceedings

• The Interview: Investigators conducted an initial voluntary interview with Perwaiz, who quickly requested a lawyer. Federal officials executed a search and then arrested him before he could harm more patients.
  • Quote: “Because of our concern about how dangerous we believed his actions were...we decided that it was important to move very quickly and we did a search warrant the following day.” — Dixon [13:02]
• Trial Notes:
  • Perwaiz took the stand, denying some actions and admitting others.
  • Ultimately convicted on counts of health care fraud and false statements; sentenced to 59 years in federal prison at age 71.
  • Quote: “He will serve 59 years in federal prison. He was 71 at the time of his conviction.” — Dixon [17:13]

Lessons and Takeaways

• Speak Up About Suspicion:
  • Significant harm can occur over years if warnings go unheeded; Dixon stresses the need for vigilance and reporting.
  • Quote: “If you see something and it doesn’t seem right, please say something...We are completely focused on protecting patients and fighting fraud, waste and abuse...” — Dixon [17:45]
• Red Flags for Patients:
  • Being pressured for procedures, especially using fear or urgency.
  • Doctors discouraging questions or second opinions.
  • Ensuring care is a partnership rather than unilateral.
  • Quote: “You and your physician should be a team to advance your health. And in this case, he wasn't looking to advance your health, he was looking to advance himself financially.” — Dixon [18:36]
• Investigative Hurdles:
  • Discrepancy between fraudulent, meticulous records and patient reality; patient interviews were critical to exposing the truth.
  • Perwaiz was a statistical outlier—far more procedures than any peer over the same time frame.
  • Quote: “He did approximately 86 to 87 procedures over a two-year span in which the next provider...conducted six of the same procedures...” — Dixon [22:14]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is a story about greed...he essentially hurt people for money.” — Maureen Dixon [01:37]
• “There was an infant who was delivered before 39 weeks, who was having some kind of medical situation...the nurses actually had a term for it. It was called a Perwaiz special.” — Dixon [02:41]
• “I urge everyone, if you hear that, if you’re working with a physician, it should be a teamwork...If you encounter a situation like that, ask questions.” — Dixon [17:45]
• “The reality is his records are all lies.” — Dixon [20:36]
• “He did approximately 86 to 87 procedures over a two-year span in which the next provider in the state...did six...that number just pops out at you.” — Dixon [22:14]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:37] — Dixon introduces the case and Perwaiz’s abuse of trust
• [02:41] — Early, unnecessary deliveries and “Perwaiz Specials”
• [04:57] — The nurse whistleblower and launch of the investigation
• [06:21] — Coercion of patients for profit and insurance fraud mechanics
• [08:24] — Fabricated cancer diagnoses and faulty procedures
• [10:41] — Financial scale of fraud and harm to patients
• [13:02] — The arrest and expedited legal steps to protect patients
• [17:13] — Verdict: Conviction details and sentencing
• [17:45] — Takeaway advice for patients and healthcare workers
• [20:36] — Discussion of meticulous but fraudulent documentation
• [22:14] — Data showing Perwaiz was a procedural outlier

Conclusion

Sharyl Attkisson and Special Agent Maureen Dixon provide a sobering inside look at one of the most shocking cases of medical abuse and fraud in recent memory. Through detailed explanations, concrete examples, and urgent advice for patients, the episode highlights the need for vigilance, patient advocacy, and systemic oversight. Dixon’s call to action—“If you see something and it doesn’t seem right, please say something”—serves as a powerful closing reminder of the role everyone can play in protecting healthcare integrity.