The Justice Department has unveiled a significant crackdown on health care fraud, with charges brought against almost 200 individuals accused of participating in schemes involving false claims totaling over $2.7 billion. Among the defendants are 76 doctors, nurse practitioners, and other licensed medical professionals.
Over the course of two weeks, more than 190 individuals were charged in federal courts nationwide. The government has already seized assets worth more than $231 million, including cash, luxury vehicles, and gold.
Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized that those who profit from illegal activities, whether in drug trafficking or the health care industry, will face consequences. One of the alleged schemes involved unnecessary and costly wound grafts performed on elderly Medicare patients, many of whom were terminally ill, in an effort to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare.
In another case, three owners and executives of a wholesale distributor of medications were accused of selling adulterated and misbranded HIV drugs through deceptive buyback schemes. This led to patients receiving mislabeled prescriptions, resulting in serious consequences such as unconsciousness after taking the wrong medication.
Additional charges included the unlawful distribution of millions of Adderall pills, the establishment of phony sober living homes targeting Native Americans, and the illegal prescribing and distribution of opioids.
The Justice Department's actions underscore the commitment to combatting health care fraud and holding accountable those who engage in such criminal activities.
