The Justice Division introduced legal costs Monday towards greater than 300 people over their alleged involvement in additional than $14.6 billion value of well being care fraud schemes.
In keeping with the Division of Justice (DOJ), its 2025 Nationwide Well being Care Fraud Takedown resulted in legal costs towards 324 defendants throughout 50 federal districts. These defendants embody 96 docs, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and different licensed medical professionals.
The people had been allegedly concerned in well being care fraud schemes totaling $14.6 billion in supposed loss, with the federal government seizing greater than $245 million in “cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets.”
An extra $4 billion in false and fraudulent claims was stopped by the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies as a part of the DOJ’s takedown. Civil settlements with 106 defendants totaling $34.3 million had been additionally introduced as a part of the operation.
“We view the theft of public funds the same way. It’s a crime against all of us. Today, in conjunction with the DOJ and our federal partners, we are announcing the results from the largest healthcare fraud investigation, as measured by financial losses, in DOJ history,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino stated in an announcement on social platform X.
“Results matter. Talk is cheap. And this is not even the beginning of the beginning. If you’re stealing from the public, or violating your oath to serve, then we’re coming for you too,” Bongino stated.
Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. lawyer for the Japanese District of New York, stated in an announcement that 11 people tied to a “transnational criminal organization” primarily based in Russia had been charged as a part of the takedown in a case titled “Operation Gold Rush.”
Within the case, the defendants are alleged to have reaped tens of millions in a well being care fraud scheme by which they bought dozens of sturdy medical gear corporations that had been in a position to submit claims to Medicare and Medicare Complement Insurers. By assuming management over these corporations, the defendants are accused of submitting billions of {dollars} value of false and fraudulent well being care claims to Medicare.
