The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the largest health care fraud takedown in the nation’s history last week, totaling more than $14.6 billion. The agency worked with state and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the country to carry out the successful operation.
The DOJ stated that the nationwide takedown more than doubled the prior record of $6 billion. The operation resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including “96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals.” Those charged were allegedly involved in several different health care fraud schemes.
The federal government seized $245 million in “cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the coordinated enforcement efforts.” The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) additionally stopped $4 billion from being paid as part of false or fraudulent claims as well as revoking the billing privileges of 205 providers.
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the operation as protecting America’s “most vulnerable citizens.”
“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” Bondi said. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”
The takedown was a whole-of-government approach, seeing the DOJ work with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). DOJ explained that the cases are being “prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 50 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and 12 State Attorneys General Offices.”
HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy said that the takedown was part of his agency’s effort to eliminate health care fraud.
“As part of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Americans, HHS will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the pervasive healthcare fraud that bedeviled this agency under the former administration and drove up costs,” he said.
The operation’s report included details on the numerous health care fraud schemes that were part of the takedown. There were 29 defendants who were charged with being involved in transnational organizations that allegedly submitted over $12 billion in fraudulent claims to American health insurance programs.
In one case, the DOJ launched “Operation Gold Rush” to investigate an organization that “bought dozens of medical supply companies” in the United States and then submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent health care claims to Medicare for “urinary catheters and other durable medical equipment by exploiting the stolen identities of over one million Americans.”
In a combined 58 cases, the DOJ charged 74 defendants, including 44 licensed medical professionals, for “illegal diversion of over 15 million pills of prescription opioids and other controlled substances.” One specific case saw five defendants involved with a Texas pharmacy charged “with the unlawful distribution of over 3 million opioid pills.”
The department also announced that it would work with the HHS, FBI, and other federal agencies to create a “Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center” that would bring experts together to “leverage cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics” in an effort to detect health care fraud schemes in the future.
Alan Jamison is the pen name of a political writer with extensive experience writing for several notable politicians and news outlets.
At this point, the only people that should be against the Trump administration are the people involved in these criminal activities. Unfortunately, TDS is so pervasive that many people are unable to think clearly. Or maybe it’s just easier for them to let the loony lefties dictate what they should think. All one need do is look at some of the comments they make regarding the tragic events in central TX.
It’s great to be able to believe that the government is going after actual criminals rather than doling out money to inhabitants of the Washington swamp and trying to create novel criminal charges to go after political opponents.
I hope they go after the supply companies. When my husband was in the hospital for a heart attack they sent him home with a $500 walker. When I checked the pharmacy I would have gotten one for $30. I harassed the company until we got our money back. That was not the end of it. The nice little plastic container they sent home with a toothbrush, etc. was another item they over charged for. When I asked the supplier why they charged so much, they said it was because they could get it without questions. That is a crime.
Thank you AMAC for your superb reporting that we SENIORS in our 80s enjoy reading. You are God’s gift to those who are uninformed. God bless all of you.
My sister is in a nursing home and yet her Medicare EOBs showed her Medicare number was charged over and over for COVID-19 self testing kits from all over the country. She lives in Texas and had no need of self testing kits since she is in nursing home. I reported those false charges to the Fraud number but never heard anything from them. Sure hope those medical supply houses were among those being investigated.
Thanks AMAC for keeping us updated with what’s going on. Keep up the good work!
Now use this great Admin to go after the Democrats who commit crimes. AOC, Crockett, all of those who got rich off our hard work. I’ve said it 100’s of times, How does a politician who gets a $224,000 a year salary become a multimillionaire within 2 years? They stole from you and I. Press charges!!
Bravo!! Well done. We all know if Harris was in office, this would have been allowed to continue and most probably, expanded.
And the democrats let this happen while the Trump administration is stopping all this by overhauling Medicare and Medicaid. Those that are screaming thousands will die are the thousands that have been fraudulent added to the Medicaid rolls. I think there is nothing wrong if you can work, you work or volunteer or get educated to get a job. Nothing is free in this world. But the democrats in order to keep voters they bought them by putting them on the dole. If your unemployment payout is more than you can earn why would you get a job. Only those paying for all that are tired of carrying these people. Nobody owes anyone else a living. The democrats have made a culture where getting a stipend from the govt is fashionable and is promoted at every turn. And those citizens due to health or other disability are in need of the help are not getting it because the AOC’s and the Jasmine Crockett’s in this world scream for the able bodied losing their largesse. This was a great crackdown on the fraud and abuse there is in Medicare. Because once again a few got rich from the many.
I can’t wait for the Democrat response to this! That hits the Democrats right in the wallet. They will try the client is stealing health Care from everybody including senior citizens. I love it when they squeal at the removal of waste fraud and abuse tells you what they’re in favor of doesn’t it? You go Donald Trump I’m not tired of winning yet!
Glad to hear they are going after the health care fraud. About time. Now we need to see these fraudsters paying big fines and going to jail.
This is great! I would only hope it be broadcast on TV news networks but being as it shows Trump Admins success the mainstream treasonous news like CNN or NBC, ABC won’t ever tell the truth. Long prison sentences for all these jerks I hope.
When fraud is uncovered it is wonderful news (if prosecuted and funds are recovered and fraudsters are put in jail and stripped of their assets). But the question is, how much more of this is there? And how long have people been getting screwed? Hopefully we can use funds recovered to finance further enforcement!
Another win for Trump and the American people.
Restitution and jail time.
Let the draining continue. This bit was awesome.
I hope Trump doesn’t commute their sentences. That’s what he did for Philip Esformes in 2020. This scumbag was serving a 20-year sentence for $1.3 billion of Medicare fraud.
So thankful this is brought to light! Now I can honestly say and think that the only ones who are against this prosecution are the ones who have benefitted from it. Its no wonder that we are given a deadline of 2035, for medicare solvency. At the rate these thieves are going, I submit it would not take that long. So trust that justice is done, and we the people get to see a hughe PERPWALK.
Looks like a lot more Alligator Alcatraz’s or a Death Valley Hot-Box need to be built and FILLED with these and others like them. MAX PENALTIES FOR THESE MORAL-LESS CONIVING PARASITES.
And for other domestic criminals and ALL illegals, tow a mothballed Navy aircraft carrier (or more), 100 miles off BOTH coasts (or way out in the Gulf of America), drop anchors and PRESTO – a ‘new’ super cheap and maximum security prison(s). And these babies can each easily hold 5000-6000 corrupt politicians or any and all other scumbag criminals.
The now “famous” phone call we seniors receive asking “Can you hear me?” and expecting the answer “Yes” so they can sign us up for all sorts of durable equipment and bill Medicare has got to stop. The callers get really mad when you answer, “I can hear you” rather than “yes” as it foils their scam. Be careful, they will get you any way they can.
Its a good start…there are many more and billions of dollars in fraud and abuse happening in Medicaid and Medicare. And Social Security on the disability side, especially.
The DOJ needs to look into United Healthcare and their Advantage programs. Their call centers get very aggressive on the phone. They want you to let a nurse into your home to take your blood pressure and United Healthcare gives you $25, but they charge Medicare $2500 for this service. They need to stick the $25 where the sun don’t shine and stop ripping off Medicare.
Put all the offenders in the same penitentiary and put their crimes and mugshots on full display…. Nothing hidden…. Let the sun shine in….
I have a B-Bap supplier in Florida that continues to bill my Insirance company for item that I don’t use or order. I think that this illegal pratice is worse than anyone could imagine.
Regardless of one’s political affilation, we should acknowledge stopping this rampant and very costly fraud – consuming resources needed by the elderly and truely needy families. And stopping wasted tax payers dollars consumed by fraudsters, including some supposed medical professionals.
Well done! Keep it coming Trump…
Do we Americans understand that the 2nd Amendment does NOT grant the people a right. Instead, we already have that right as a Natural Right given to us by our Creator God at birth. Read the Declaration of Independence and the letters of our Founding Fathers – who, by the way, were far more well read and understood the hazards of government. So the 2nd Amendment is a further limitation on federal authority which since it is NOT specified in the main text of the Constitution means the people did not delegate such authority to the FedGov. But Some Virginia Founding Fathers thought the text needed additional clarification with specific wording as in the 2nd Amendment. Therefore, the Fed-Gov has NO authority to limit the private ownership of firearms. And the government cannot take this natural right away from us. After all, they did not grant the right to us and they cannot take it away. So why are so many socialists in government clamoring for gun control when they know they have no such power to do so!!$#%?
I hope that all those arrested in this take down, are charged, tried, and when convicted, sentenced to the maximum sentence possible under the law.
Wow! The power of united government working together for the good!
The evil that has crept in over the last administration and has become so prevalent in the society of DC, that when they catch them, the only person to blame is the person or persons who caught you. I hope that Pam Bondi collects the billions back with a 2x fine and jail time so horrendous that the thought of fraud will scare you out of your sock. Also there should be large reward for any whistle blowers this culture ends.
“The federal government seized $245 million in “cash, luxury vehicles ……….”. there goes Joe’s corvette.
Great start! Now if you could just stop the financial raping of the people by Big Pharma, Big Hospitals, Big PBMs, and Big Insurance Companies! They are the reason our health care is so high.
When will we get to see their names? I want to see the names of all individuals and businesses involved.
These criminals need to be exposed to the world for their corruption.
Doctors involved in this should lose their license.
Great news. The longer Trump is in office, the more we hear about fraud in all parts of our society. It is especially cruel to take advantage of people who need healthcare and have to spend much more than they should because of these criminals. It is time the media starts reporting on these big wins for President Trump.
It has long been known that fraud is rampant in our medical system. It has long been ignored or pandered by our political leadership. It’s about time someone brought the hammer down on any and all cheaters of the system….which is nearly as corrupt as the fed. Perhaps we will get to see more than just the “tip of the iceberg.” Perhaps…
Wow, 14.6 BILLION lost to corruption and greed. I hope they put them all behind bars for a long time. They were stealing from you and me. Prices just kept rising and most of it was because of these parasites that just suck the blood out of Americans and America. Congratulations to all involved in the take down of these cold hearted criminals.
This is great, because as Seniors we often see charges to Medicare for services they haven’t done, or exuberant charges.
They should get life or the death penalty!!!!
Interesting that payment approvals of many if not most of these fraudulent charges to Medicare are handled by private contractors working for Medicare. Why are we contracting this very important task to private companies? My wife’s Medicare account was recently charged for some $1500 for DME. We were on our 50th anniversary cruise in the Pacific when these supposed services were provided!!! Noridian (the Medicare contractor for our area) not only approved the Medicare payments but also the copays charged to our Medicare Supplement insurer. No wonder our Supplement insurance keeps climbing.
I am very happy to read this article. Finally, the “healthcare” Cabal is getting busted—and there is much more to come, including showing their participation in coercing people to be vaxxed for the “pandemic.” It’s going to be widespread and very revealing to those who trusted them.
Better is to come for the People. Healthcare is changing from Sickness Maintenance to Health Care where good health is restored and enjoyed by everyone.
~ 12 July 2025
When will we know who they have charged?
These are the things our government needs to focus on. I don’t give a rats a** about Epstein or his list, it’s nothing more than politics and news stories.
Can we use fraud funds for Medicare & Medicaid??
Cut costs alone
Four years is too short. Clean up what we can.
I wish common-sense minded independent and democrat voters could be made aware of this. But that can’t happen because democrat politician lies are echoed by a compliant and corrupt media.
What the healthcare industry has done for years, is to run up an astronomical bill then divided amongst every service that was provided. Hence you will get a bill for $120 for a Tylenol. They’re just dividing the total amount by everything was provided. Absolutely crazy! No wonder the highest rate of bankruptcies in the nation are from medical bills
Prison,fines or any punishment is to good for anyone involved in this crime. My father once told me the best way to hurt thieves like this is to take their money.
This should awaken every American citizen that the Trump administration is working for us to eliminate criminal fraud that is costing all of us Billions. You may not like President Trump but you cannot complain about his results. The man has energy that no president has shown us before.
As a retired independent pharmacist who billed for meds and DME equipment, I am so glad to see DOJ looking into this area of fraud and abuse. I could easily have billed Medicaid, Medicare and Insurance for non-provided services and products, it would have been very simple and very monetarily greedy. I never did this and couldn’t have lived with myself if I had. I did know of providers that appeared to make a lot more money and had higher volume businesses than should have been possible. Except for a few cases, I would never have been able to prove fraud in those cases. This was and always has been a system that was ripe for fraud and abuse due to the lack of oversight and documentation. Please…rout all this fraud out and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. Also…please remember…this is only one facet of our bureaucracy that needs to be reviewed, investigated and corrected. Just look at the unbelievable wealth that some of our “elected” representatives accumulate in such a short time once they are elected. I’ve no problem with people earning and growing wealth legitimately but to fraudulently amass great wealth on the backs of their American constituents through fraud and corruption should never be condoned or allowed.
We all know there are too many scammers to catch them all. However every little bit helps. MAGA.