These defendants have been charged with submitting more than $6 billion in false and fraudulent claims to federal health care programs and private insurers, including more than $4.5 billion connected to telemedicine, more than $845 million connected to substance abuse treatment facilities, or "Sober homes," and more than $806 million connected to other health care fraud and illegal opioid distribution schemes across the country.
Today's enforcement actions were led and coordinated by the Criminal Division, Fraud Section's Health Care Fraud Unit, in conjunction with its Health Care Fraud and Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force program, and its core partners, the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, HHS-OIG, FBI, and DEA, as part of the department's ongoing efforts to combat the devastating effects of health care fraud and the opioid epidemic.
The cases announced today are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud and ARPO Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division's Fraud Section, along with 43 U.S. Attorneys' Offices nationwide, and agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and other various federal and state law enforcement agencies.
"We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure public and private health care dollars are used as intended, to promote the health and safety of all Americans and safeguard continued access to critical health care services."
The largest amount of alleged fraud loss charged in connection with the cases announced today - $4.5 billion in allegedly false and fraudulent claims submitted by more than 86 criminal defendants in 19 judicial districts - relates to schemes involving telemedicine: the use of telecommunications technology to provide health care services remotely.
In connection with the nationwide enforcement action announced today, the Department of Justice also announced the creation of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section.
The National Rapid Response Strike Force's mission is to investigate and prosecute fraud cases involving major health care providers that operate in multiple jurisdictions, including major regional health care providers operating in the Criminal-Division-led Health Care Fraud Strike Forces throughout the United States.
Friday, October 2, 2020
Department of Justice Announces Largest Health Care Fraud & Opioid Takedown in Agency History
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