U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai sharply criticized the testimony of ApolloMD CEO Dr. Yogin Patel and Lane Emergency Physicians (LEP) owner Dr. Johne Chapman during April-May 2026 evidentiary hearings in the Eugene Emergency Physicians lawsuit.

On multiple days, the judge expressed deep skepticism about their credibility. He stated that Dr. Chapman’s repeated claims of ignorance about LEP’s organizational structure and lack of written contracts “defies logic and credibility.” Kasubhai called the “plausible deniability” strategy “discouraging and disappointing,” questioning why Chapman, as owner, was not demanding formal agreements.

By the final hearing day (May 4), Judge Kasubhai explicitly found both witnesses “being dishonest with the court” under oath. He declared: “Dr. Chapman and Dr. Patel were not representing the truth accurately under oath... They were being dishonest with the court.” The judge noted they made “a very conscious choice to try and deceive this court.”

Kasubhai highlighted the absence of any formal contract between ApolloMD and LEP, describing the arrangement as “a handshake and a wink” that failed to comply with Oregon’s SB 951. He referenced ApolloMD’s internal “playbook” as evidence of de facto corporate control, with Apollo acting as “coach or director.” While he considered contempt or perjury referrals, he did not pursue them before the May 6 settlement.

These comments underscored judicial concerns over transparency and corporate circumvention of the state’s corporate practice of medicine prohibitions.

Works Cited

- OPB.org: “Federal judge in Eugene says ApolloMD officials were dishonest” (May 6, 2026).  

- Register-Guard: “Judge says ApolloMD, Lane Emergency Physicians leaders were dishonest in court” (May 4, 2026).  

- OregonLive: Coverage of hearings and “shell game” concerns (May 1, 2026).  

- Lookout Eugene-Springfield and KLCC: Detailed bench comments on testimony and SB 951 (April 30–May 6, 2026).