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Feds Say West Bloomfield Doctor Charged With Fraud Has Fortune In Rare Coins

WEST BLOOMFIELD (AP) - The government says a Detroit-area doctor milked Medicare for his rare coin collection.

Dr. Gavin Awerbuch of West Bloomfield is charged with health care fraud. The government wants to get control of his collection of rare coins and currency, baseball cards and stamps. It could be worth more than $9 million.

Awerbuch's attorney declined to comment.

The Detroit News reports that Awerbuch's collection includes coins from ancient Rome. Donald Kagin, a coin dealer in California, describes him as a "good client."

Awerbuch is accused of defrauding Medicare, partly by excessively prescribing a painkiller, Subsys. The government says he was the top dispenser in the country.

© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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