President Joe Biden’s decision to grant clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals this week has sparked backlash, particularly for including a former doctor convicted of diluting chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients. The White House described the move as a historic step in criminal justice reform, but critics have questioned the inclusion of individuals tied to serious crimes.

One of the more controversial cases is that of Meera Sachdeva, a Mississippi doctor sentenced to 20 years in 2012 for Medicare fraud. Sachdeva was found guilty of administering diluted chemotherapy drugs to cancer patients and reusing needles at her clinic, leading one patient to claim they contracted HIV from the facility. Alongside her prison sentence, Sachdeva was ordered to pay $8.2 million in restitution.

Biden grants clemency to ex-doc sentenced to 20 years for diluting cancer patients’ chemotherapy drugs. How does this degenerate, who ripped off Medicare for $8 million deserve clemency?

Democrats are evil. pic.twitter.com/J2SBki6Cz5

— Sibyl🇺🇸♥️🌹🩷 (@ordinarygirl1) December 15, 2024

The White House stated that clemency was granted to individuals who demonstrated rehabilitation and a commitment to bettering their communities. The sweeping commutations, which the administration called “the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history,” included 39 pardons and the commutation of sentences for individuals on home confinement.

Critics have pointed to other recipients with similarly troubling histories, such as Alabama physician Daniel Fillerup, who was sentenced to 10 years for distributing fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose. Another controversial case was Wendy Hechtman, who led a drug ring linked to a spike in overdose deaths in Nebraska.

Joe Biden granted clemency to Meera Sachdeva who pleaded guilty after being accused of giving cancer patients less chemotherapy or cheaper drugs, while billing Medicaid and Medicare for more.

She even billed for new syringes for each patient even though she reused some of them… pic.twitter.com/Zb6VrCH96J

— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) December 15, 2024

Despite the criticism, the White House defended the clemency decisions, emphasizing Biden’s commitment to criminal justice reform. “These actions build on the President’s record of criminal justice reform to help reunite families, strengthen communities, and reintegrate individuals back into society,” the administration stated.

Biden’s critics argue that granting clemency to individuals involved in serious crimes undermines public trust in the justice system. While the White House has pledged to continue reviewing clemency petitions, the inclusion of individuals like Sachdeva raises questions about the criteria being used.