Urologist admits faking cancer diagnosis

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- A California urologist has admitted faking pathology reports to show that three elderly patients had prostate cancer.

Ali Moayed of Monte Sereno pleaded guilty last week to insurance fraud and elder abuse, the San Jose Mercury News reported. He faces up to a year in jail under his plea agreement with prosecutors in Santa Clara County.

Another doctor uncovered Moayed's scheme in 2005 while reviewing his files. He found that a pathology report was missing and later, when Moayed gave him a copy, that the one the urologist had was different from the one returned by a laboratory, the report said.

One 87-year-old patient endured a painful procedure that involved having small grains of radioactive material inserted in his prostate gland. Two other patients who had been given the faulty diagnosis escaped treatment.