SYRACUSE, New York - A man accused of swindling desperately ill patients out of US$400,000 by making false promises of organ transplants in the Philippines has pleaded guilty in New York to five federal wire fraud charges.
Jerome Feldman pleaded guilty Friday before a U.S. District Court judge in Utica. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the five counts.
Prosecutors say Feldman's victims travelled to the Philippines based on his promises they would receive organ transplants there. One died while awaiting a promised liver transplant. Feldman never arranged the transplants and kept the money.
Feldman also pleaded guilty Friday to a 1999 federal charge of health care fraud from the Middle District of Florida.
