Expert Witness Blog

Dr. Alex Zakharia, a Florida surgeon, admitted Tuesday to creating the impression that he was the lead surgeon for numerous coronary artery bypass grafts - when he had never performed such surgeries. The expert witness testified at the trial of a doctor accused of medical malpractice at the Ann Arbor Veterans Administration. Zakharia pled guilty to contempt of court and under a plea agreement, he faces up to a year in custody. He must also make restitution with affected parties and retire from medical practice by the end of the year. mlive.com also reports:

Authorities said he testified as an expert witness in 2002 on behalf of a plaintiff charging a doctor at the VA with medical malpractice in connection with a coronary artery bypass graft.

...felony charges pending against him for perjury, mail fraud and wire fraud will be dismissed. He will be sentenced Dec. 11.