DOJ Charges 324 Defendants in $14.6 Billion Health Care Fraud Takedown

The Department of Justice announced its largest health care fraud takedown in American history, charging 324 defendants — including 96 doctors, nurses, and pharmacists — across 50 federal districts and 12 state attorneys general offices. The schemes involved over $14.6 billion in intended losses, more than doubling the previous record of $6 billion set during Trump's first term in 2020. Authorities seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets, while CMS blocked more than $4 billion in fraudulent claims from being paid out. The centerpiece was Operation Gold Rush, which targeted a transnational criminal network that used foreign straw owners and stolen identities of over one million Americans to submit $10.6 billion in fraudulent Medicare claims for catheters and medical equipment. Twelve defendants were arrested, including four in Estonia and seven caught at airports attempting to flee the country. The crackdown also charged 74 defendants in prescription opioid trafficking involving over 15 million pills, 49 defendants in $1.17 billion in telemedicine and genetic testing fraud, and seven defendants in a $1.1 billion wound care scheme targeting elderly hospice patients. DOJ announced the creation of a Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center using AI and advanced analytics to detect emerging schemes.