Sentencing postponed for doctor accused of bribing senator

By TERRY SPENCER,
Last Updated: Thursday, August 10, 2017

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. --
(AP) A sentencing hearing in a Medicare fraud case against a prominent Florida eye doctor accused of bribing New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez has been postponed.

Attorneys for Dr. Salomon Melgen said in court documents filed Thursday they and prosecutors have agreed to cancel Friday's scheduled sentencing hearing until December.

That would be after next month's scheduled joint bribery trial against Menendez and Melgen in New Jersey.

Melgen's attorneys say in court documents the delay is necessary because the hearing could take longer than a day. Federal prosecutors declined comment.

Sentencing guidelines recommended that the 63-year-old Melgen receive a term of between 30 years and life for stealing more than $100 million from Medicare. He was convicted on 67 counts in April.

Menendez and Melgen have denied the bribery charges.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/ap/2017/08/10/Sentencing_postponed_for_doctor_accused_of_bribing_senator.html