Trump’s FBI exposes massive medical fraud

The FBI has uncovered what may be the largest and most expensive healthcare fraud case in United States history, involving nearly $15 billion in false claims. Knewz.com has learned that the investigation was coordinated across 50 federal judicial districts and led to charges against 324 individuals including 96 medical professionals. It has been reported that $245 million was also seized as part of the operation.

Largest healthcare fraud in U.S. history

According to Matthew Galeotti, head of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice, approximately $14.6 billion was submitted in false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and other health care programs. “Every fraudulent claim, every fake billing, every kickback scheme represents money taken directly from the pockets of American taxpayers, who fund these essential programs through their hard work and sacrifice,” Galeotti said in a statement to the media. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a statement, “We view the theft of public funds the same way. It’s a crime against all of us. … 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.”

The work of transnational criminal groups

The Department of Justice identified and charged defendants operating from Russia, Pakistan and other foreign countries. One example of what the investigation uncovered detailed a scheme involving individuals from Russia and Eastern Europe. These individuals allegedly purchased dozens of U.S.-based medical supply companies and filed over $10 billion in fraudulent claims. Investigators say the suspects used stolen identities from more than one million Americans in all 50 states. Several key individuals were arrested by federal agents at U.S. airports and the U.S.-Mexico border. Galeotti explained, “We charged pill mill operators who prescribed unnecessary opioids. … We dismantled networks of corrupt pharmacies that existed solely to distribute drugs to addicts and dealers, feeding the addiction crisis that has devastated so many American communities.”

Revolutionizing the investigation of healthcare fraud

The Department of Justice has said that it is coordinating with several federal agencies — like the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services — to create a health care data fusion center to “revolutionize” the detection, investigation and prosecution of health care fraud. The Department of Justice said in a press release that “the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also announced that it successfully prevented over $4 billion from being paid in response to false and fraudulent claims and that it suspended or revoked the billing privileges of 205 providers in the months leading up to the Takedown.”

DOJ committed to battling healthcare fraud

Galeotti said in a statement that the “Criminal Division is intensely committed to rooting out health care fraud schemes and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate them because these schemes: (1) often result in physical patient harm through medically unnecessary treatments or failure to provide the correct treatments; (2) contribute to our nationwide opioid epidemic and exacerbate controlled substance addiction; and (3) do all of that while stealing money hardworking Americans contribute to pay for the care of their elders and other vulnerable citizens.” He added, “The Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices stand united with our law enforcement partners in this fight, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs for the American people.”

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