The Binge Cases: Doctor Billions
Podcast

The Binge Cases: Doctor Billions

Sony Music Entertainment

194 episodes

After Derika Moses injured her back at work, she got her spine fused. But after surgery, her pain only got worse. She didn’t know why — until she got a letter in the mail telling her that some of the spinal hardware in her back might be counterfeit. Not sterile. Not FDA approved. Made in a machine shop in Temecula, California. Doctor Billions tells the story of the billion-dollar healthcare fraud that turned thousands of patients into unwitting cogs in a scheme involving dozens of doctors, lawyers and healthcare professionals across the country. At the center of one of the nation's largest healthcare frauds was an elusive man named Michael Drobot. His ambition to turn a Long Beach hospital into a destination for back surgeons was at the expense of thousands of patients blind to what was happening behind the scenes. One whistleblower told me: “I'm looking at the surgery board for tomorrow going, 'These people are f***ed.'” Doctor Billions is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Ben Adair for Sony Music Entertainment’s The Binge. - Episodes release weekly on Mondays. To binge the series right now, hit ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com. Follow The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases to get new stories on the first of the month, every month. Join The Binge’s free newsletter – Patreon.com/TheBinge

What this show covers

true crimeinvestigationKwanetamedical corruptionhospital scandalspinal carekickbacksmedical companycorporate deceptionfraudrelationshipschildhood traumacharacter studynarrative tensionmedical scandal

What listeners will find here

How a hospital became a spinal care powerhouse through kickbacks and silence
Pacific Hospital of Long Beach becomes the focus as this episode examines how it rose into a world-class spinal care center. The story points to surgeons, illegal kickbacks, and thousands of unsuspecting patients caught in the middle.
A dream six-figure job turns suspicious before the first day is half over
Mark Sersansie lands a six-figure marketing role at a secretive Southern California medical company during a recession, only to sense by lunchtime that something is seriously off. This opener sets up a true-crime story about ambition, secrecy, and a business that may be hiding more than it sells.
Kwaneta’s past comes into focus through ex-husbands and childhood secrets
This episode digs into Kwaneta’s history as Justine tries to understand her present. By speaking with Kwaneta’s ex-husbands and uncovering troubling details from her childhood, the story appears to widen from a single case into a deeper portrait of her life.
Kwaneta’s story sharpens as the distance around her starts to crack
Kwaneta is the focus here, as a fuller picture of her begins to emerge even while she tries to keep the podcast at arm’s length. This chapter looks poised to deepen the mystery by revealing more about who she is and why that distance matters.
A spine surgery scandal where counterfeit hardware reached real patients
Doctor Billions follows a massive healthcare fraud in which spinal surgery patients allegedly received counterfeit, non-sterile, unapproved hardware. Hosted by Ben Adair, the series centers on Michael Drobot and the network of doctors, lawyers, and healthcare professionals tied to the scheme.

Episodes

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