Opening statements are expected in the Medicare fraud trial of a prominent Florida eye doctor who is also accused of bribing a U.S. senator.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys for Salomon Melgen are scheduled to address the 12-member panel Thursday, which was seated after three days of jury selection.
The panel is to decide whether the 62-year-old doctor stole millions from Medicare between 2004 and 2013.
Federal prosecutors say Melgen prescribed unneeded treatments, filed claims for procedures he never performed and charged for medicine he never purchased.
If convicted, Melgen faces up to 610 years in prison. He's free on $18 million bond. He faces a bribery trial this fall in New Jersey with Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez.
Melgen has pleaded not guilty.
