October 15, 2026 by matray

A long-running medical malpractice dispute involving a fugitive Ohio spine surgeon and his professional liability insurer, Medical Protective, has emerged as a central element in allegations that Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, solicited money from a political donor in exchange for access to influential members of the Trump administration. The controversy culminated Oct. 13, when the Trump administration asked Guilfoyle to resign.

Eric Deters, a former Kentucky attorney and congressional candidate, alleges that Guilfoyle asked him to pay a $100,000 American Express credit card bill in exchange for political assistance. The assistance he sought involved efforts to extradite former spine surgeon Abubakar Durrani, MD, from Pakistan and investigate allegations that Medical Protective helped the physician flee the United States to avoid prosecution and medical malpractice litigation.

Medical Protective has denied wrongdoing in its dealings with Durrani and is pursuing separate federal litigation against Deters, accusing him of engaging in an abusive campaign of litigation, threats and attempted extortion against the insurer and its executives.

The controversy gained national attention last week following reporting by The Wall Street Journal and subsequent interviews with Deters on MS NOW and PBS NewsHour.

Durrani, a former Cincinnati-area spine surgeon, fled to Pakistan in 2013 while facing federal healthcare fraud charges and numerous medical malpractice lawsuits alleging that he performed unnecessary spinal procedures. His departure complicated efforts by former patients to pursue compensation for their alleged injuries.

Deters, who previously represented Durrani patients and retains a financial interest in the litigation, has spent years seeking the surgeon’s extradition and questioning the role of Durrani’s medical professional liability insurer.

In an Oct. 9 PBS NewsHour interview, Deters said he had sought help from Guilfoyle and other politically connected individuals to secure Durrani’s return.

“My motive in all of this is revenge, for lack of a better word, for their not helping the Dr. Durrani victims,” Deters told PBS anchor Amna Nawaz.

Deters alleged that he had already paid Guilfoyle $300,000 and promised an additional $1 million if she helped advance his efforts. He said Guilfoyle subsequently requested another $100,000 to pay her American Express bill.

He characterized the proposed arrangement as an exchange of money for political influence.

“That’s absolutely correct,” Deters said when Nawaz asked whether Guilfoyle had offered assistance in exchange for payment.

Guilfoyle’s attorney has maintained that payments to her were not part of a quid pro quo but were instead compensation for speaking engagements and appearances at political events.

The dispute involving Medical Protective extends beyond the political controversy.

MedPro Group and The Medical Protective Company filed a federal lawsuit against Deters in 2025, alleging that he engaged in a prolonged campaign to pressure the insurer into making payments related to the Durrani litigation. The companies accused him of abusive litigation tactics, blackmail and threats against company executives.

MedPro also maintains that it has no obligation to cover Durrani’s liabilities because the surgeon allegedly obtained insurance policies under false pretenses, engaged in conduct excluded from coverage and violated his duty to cooperate with the insurer by fleeing the country.

Deters has denied MedPro's allegations and maintained that his efforts are aimed at securing Durrani's extradition and obtaining justice for the surgeon's former patients.

In July 2026, a federal judge in Ohio denied Deters’ motions to dismiss MedPro’s lawsuit, allowing the insurer’s claims to proceed.

During his PBS interview, Deters said his primary objective remains securing Durrani’s extradition, rather than obtaining a political outcome against Guilfoyle.

“I am going to keep talking about the extradition of Dr. Durrani back to the United States until the cows come home,” he said.