Sunny Hostin’s husband, Emmanuel “Manny” Hostin, has found himself at the center of controversy after being named in an insurance fraud lawsuit.
According to legal documents on January 7, 2025, Emmanuel is one of nearly 200 defendants listed in a lawsuit filed with the New York Eastern District Court.
The New York-based orthopedic surgeon is accused of federal insurance fraud, allegedly “receiving kickbacks by performing surgeries and billing a company that insures taxi companies as well as Uber and Lyft drivers”.
Emmanuel’s attorney has categorically denied the allegations.
Who Is Dr. Emmanuel “Manny” Hostin?
Emmanuel Hostin is an experienced orthopedic surgeon with almost three decades of medical practice. A graduate of the prestigious Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1996, he established Hostin Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Manhattan in 2006.
Married to Sunny Hostin since 1998, the couple has two children: son Gabriel, currently studying at Harvard University, and daughter Paloma, attending Cornell University.
What Are the Allegations Against Dr. Emmanuel Hostin?
The lawsuit alleges that Emmanuel knowingly provided “fraudulent medical and healthcare services, including arthroscopic surgeries, to Covered Persons through Hostin Orthopaedics.”
Furthermore, it accuses him of fraudulently billing American Transit, the insurance group that primarily works with rideshare drivers, for these services.
According to the claims, Emmanuel allegedly engaged in these activities “in exchange for kickbacks and other compensation, disguised as dividends or cash distributions.” His attorney has vehemently denied these accusations.
What Is Dr. Emmanuel Hostin’s Response?
Through his attorney, Daniel John Thwaites, Emmanuel has strongly refuted the claims, stating that he “denies each and every allegation.”
Thwaites described the case as “a blanket, scattershot, meritless lawsuit by a near-bankrupt insurance carrier” intended to intimidate and harass doctors.
“It is meant to discourage doctors from collecting payments for care provided to American Transit insureds and passengers,” Thwaites added. He further criticized the company for rushing to file the lawsuit without examining Dr. Hostin or raising concerns with his legal team.
Sunny Hostin’s Spouse Emmanuel
“The real story here is about an insurance carrier abusing the legal system to restrict healthcare benefits to its insureds and write off its financial obligations,” Thwaites concluded.
Sunny Hostin’s Defense of Her Husband
Sunny Hostin has also come to her husband’s defense, condemning what she referred to as a “frivolous civil lawsuit.”
Sunny alleged that American Transit has launched a targeted smear campaign against her husband, exploiting her celebrity status in the process.
“In an attempt to poison the well of public opinion because it does not have a valid case against my husband, American Transit instead used my celebrity status to start a disgusting media smear campaign against my husband, which included me and our children,” Sunny stated.
She criticized the insurance group for using photos of her family in tabloid stories and accused the company of harassment aimed at intimidating them into submission.
“Our family will not be intimidated and harassed. We remain unbowed,” Sunny asserted.
Sunny Hostin’s Legal Counteraction
Sunny revealed she has retained prominent attorney Mark Geragos to represent their family and announced plans to file a $5 million countersuit against American Transit for defamation.
“The damages caused by their defamatory claims are hard to quantify, but the amount we are seeking is likely to increase,” she said.
Sunny demanded that the company withdraw its allegations, pay Emmanuel what he is owed, and issue a public apology.
“Insurance companies like American Transit make navigating an already broken healthcare system even more difficult by employing despicable tactics like harassing doctors,” she added.
Ending her statement with a defiant tone, Sunny remarked, “Let me be clear, where I come from, American Transit will receive a PHD from FAFO University.”
