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Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
Kusum Desai listens as attorney Richard Wright makes a case to keep her husband, Dr. Dipak Desai, out of custody after Desai was indicted by a grand jury Friday, June 4, 2010.
By Kyle B. Hansen (contact) 
Published Friday, June 4, 2010 | 12:52 p.m.
Updated Friday, June 4, 2010 | 4:23 p.m.
Dipak Desai
Related Document (.pdf)
Sun Coverage
Sun Archives
- Nevada Supreme Court dismisses appeal by Dr. Dipak Desai (5-19-2010)
- Health cost hikes may follow $500M jury award in hepatitis C case (5-17-2010)
- Plaintiff: $500 million ‘exactly what was needed’ to make statement in hepatitis C case (5-7-2010)
- Attorney seeking $1 billion in hepatitis C case (5-6-2010)
- Jury finds drugmakers liable in first hepatitis C trial (5-5-2010)
- Jurors to resume hepatitis C deliberations Wednesday (5-4-2010)
- Deliberations continue in first hepatitis C case to reach trial (5-3-2010)
- Jury deliberates in first hepatitis C case to reach trial (4-30-2010)
- Expert: Hepatitis C victim suffered multi-million dollar damages (4-27-2010)
- Man recounts hepatitis C’s effect on health, family (4-26-2010)
A Clark County grand jury has indicted Dr. Dipak Desai -- a high-profile subject of investigations related to the 2008 hepatitis C outbreak -- and two others in connection with the outbreak.
The 28-count criminal indictment unsealed today against the three includes charges of racketeering, performance of an act in reckless disregard of persons or property, criminal neglect of patients, insurance fraud, theft and obtaining money under false pretenses. All are felonies.
Judge Elissa Cadish ordered that Desai surrender himself today and be placed on house arrest until he can arrange to post $1 million bail. If he is unable to arrange bail by the close of business Monday, he will be taken to the Clark County Detention Center.
The other two people charged were Desai’s employees, identified in the indictment as Ronald Ernest Lakeman and Keith H. Mathahs. Cadish set bail for them at $500,000 each.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Staudaher requested Desai be held in jail without bail until next week, when the court could determine what his assets are and how much bail would be appropriate. Desai was also ordered to appear at an arraignment Wednesday at 9 a.m.
But Desai’s attorney, Richard Wright, said Desai and his businesses are in bankruptcy proceedings, and he doesn't have access to his assets. Wright said he would need time to request bail from the bankruptcy court or from his relatives.
The Southern Nevada Health District has linked nine hepatitis C cases to Desai’s Las Vegas Valley endoscopy clinics, but said more than 100 other patients could have been infected. The outbreak prompted health officials to recommend testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV to about 50,000 patients.
The Health District in 2008 notified all patients who had undergone procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada between March 2004 and January 2008 that they were at risk for possible exposure. The Health District said patients may have been infected when nurses and other staff reused syringes on patients.
Desai faces a host of medical malpractice suits from patients who say they contracted hepatitis C at his Las Vegas clinics.
Attorneys for the former patients filed motions in district court, saying they did not want Desai and his wife to liquidate or hide assets. Insurance "will be grossly and totally inadequate to satisfy the damage claims of plaintiffs," they said. They also cited Desai's sale of a Mercedes CL63 AMG to a third party in Texas.
Desai had interests in several medical centers in Clark County and he and his wife, Kusum, had purchased a $3.4 million home in the Red Rock County Club.
Desai has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In February, Desai, who has practiced medicine in Nevada since 1980, surrendered his state medical license after having a series of health problems, including several strokes.
Last month a jury found two companies, Teva Parenteral Medicines Inc. and Baxter Healthcare Corp., liable for failure to warn and for breach of warranty and awarded more than $500 million in damages. Henry and Lorraine Chanin sued the companies after Henry Chanin contracted hepatitis C at Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center.
Jurors awarded more than $5 million in compensatory damages. They also agreed that punitive damages were warranted, ultimately deciding that Teva Parenteral Medicines should pay $356 million and Baxter Healthcare Corp. should pay $144 million.
The $500 million is the largest amount for punitive damages ever to be awarded in Nevada.
This S.O.B doesn't make enough money? he has to watch pennies and take the health of people. they should hang the SOB from his nuts in Sunset park
hey district attorney david roger...
there better be more coming pal...
or you can kiss your political career good bye...
Put him in front the judge that ruled on OJ.
OJ had the book thrown at him. Anything less for Desai would be in itself, criminal.
What's the rush?
This guy should have been singing in the Prison Choir at least a year ago!!!
Every medical professional that worked for him should be facing charges. The Health Dist. said, " Patients may have been infected when nurses and other staff reused syringes on patients." Where are the charges against the nurses and other employees? They knew what they were doing was wrong. David Rogers we are watching for these additional charges,do your job!If they hold a medical license they should be charged.
House arrest? I hope the Judge, as a condition to house arrest, required that Desai immediately surrender his passport. Desai has no reason to stick around, and every reason to run. If he is able to flee the country, bringing him back will be much more difficult than if he simply flees the jurisdiction (this was the cardinal sin by the judge in the Roman Polanski case, and the United States still cannot get him returned)
WDM and TraynorDr....you are both spot on.This guy is no better than John Wayne Gayce or Ted Bundy...He is a serial killer just not as messy
Desai was one of Gibbons' BBF in pushing through the cap on medical malpractice liability. Then Jimbo threw him under the bus.
Leave the old lady alone. She's not the culprit.
Don't kid yourself...the MRS. no doubt is hiding something...they always do.Funds, property,companies, no telling.
A two bit punk committing a misdemeanor would be sitting in a jail cell. Desai is enjoying the weekend at home, not to mention the months before now. Where is the justice? Why is he not rotting as we speak?
This dispicable, greedy, self serving, murder and his coconspirators should spend the rest of their lives in prison. Thinking about all the grief they have caused.
Why does desai get to stay out of jail while trying to raise bail? Wheres the justice there? Is the bankruptcy court going to allow him to use his seized assets to post his bail? Wheres the justice there?
Anyone that injected a patient with a used needle or reused a drug should also be held accountable for thir actions.
THEY ALL NEW BETTER.
ladies and gentlemen...
i believe that david roger is a terrible district attorney...
we have waited over 2 years for this moment...
over 2 damn years...
and this is all district attorney david roger produces...
3 people...
good lord...
3 people...
NEVER VOTE FOR DAVID ROGER AGAIN!!!
hey attorney general catherine cortez masto...
hate to bother you dear...
but it has been over 2 years...
ummm...
is your office doing anything to protect the citizens of nevada???
hmmm???
geez...
i would have thought you would have taken some action by now...
since it has been over 2 years and all...
listen up boys and girls...
NEVER VOTE FOR CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO AGAIN!!!