Admin I Saturday, July 01, 2023
WASHINGTON – Not less than 78 individuals have been charged by the Justice Department in the $2.5billion healthcare fraud in the United States.
The 78 defendants were charged for their alleged participation in healthcare fraud and opioid abuse schemes that included over $2.5 billion.
The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, and, in some cases, used the proceeds of the schemes to purchase luxury items, including exotic automobiles, jewelry, and yachts. In connection with the enforcement action, the Department seized or restrained millions of dollars in cash, automobiles, and real estate.
“These enforcement actions, including against one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted by the Justice Department, represent our intensified efforts to combat fraud and prosecute the individuals who profit from it,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will find and bring to justice criminals who seek to defraud Americans and steal from taxpayer-funded programs.”
“This nationwide enforcement action demonstrates that the Criminal Division is committed to fighting health care fraud and opioid abuse by prosecuting those who allegedly exploit patients and health care benefit programs for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement includes some of the largest and most complex cases that the Department has prosecuted, and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to seeking justice for those at all levels of the healthcare industry who put profits above patient care, from professionals in doctors’ offices to executives in corporate boardrooms.”
“Health care fraud is a complex and ever-evolving threat that negatively impacts the American people,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s nationwide coordinated law enforcement action is a testament to the tenacity of the FBI and our partners, as well as our combined efforts to pursue anyone who conspires to exploit our health care system for financial gain.”
“Patients trust federal health care programs to provide high quality care. When bad actors steal from these programs, they hurt patients,” said Inspector General Christi A. Grimm of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting federal health care programs and putting patients first. Thank you to our law enforcement partners, especially the Medicaid Fraud Control Units, that participated in this effort.”
“At the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), we are committed to protecting the safety and health of all Americans,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “When individuals divert addictive opioid medications for personal gain, they are knowingly putting Americans at risk, all too often causing harm and even death. DEA is committed to taking decisive action to hold accountable anyone who participates in these dangerous schemes.”
“The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) provides community health care to family members of our nation’s disabled or deceased veterans, and the defendants’ alleged criminal actions resulted in a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme that puts those benefits at risk and pilfers significant taxpayer funds,” said Inspector General Michael J. Missal of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “The VA-OIG’s continued oversight of VA’s multiple healthcare programs, including CHAMPVA, is one of the agency’s highest priorities. We thank our outstanding law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
