Nearly 200 people have been charged across the U.S. for their roles in various health care fraud schemes, resulting in over $2.7 billion in intended losses, according to the Justice Department.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that 193 people, including 76 medical professionals, were charged in 32 federal districts. The two-week operation involved numerous law enforcement agencies and led to the seizure of over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
Garland emphasized that anyone profiting from the illegal distribution of controlled substances, regardless of their position, will be held accountable. The defendants were involved in schemes including fraudulent claims, wire fraud, health care fraud, and money laundering.
In Arizona, a $900 million scam targeted elderly and terminally ill patients. Federal authorities also charged the CEO and clinical president of a major telehealth company for illegally distributing Adderall and other medications. Additionally, five more people were charged for distributing over 40 million unnecessary pills.
In Florida, corporate executives were charged with a $90 million fraud scheme involving misbranded HIV drugs. Other scams included targeting Native Americans with fraudulent sober living homes, illegal opioid prescriptions, and telemedicine and laboratory fraud.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also took action against 127 medical providers for their involvement in health care fraud over the past six months.
In Arizona, four people were charged with submitting $900 million in false claims for unnecessary amniotic wound grafts used on elderly Medicare patients. The grafts were applied indiscriminately and often resulted in patient deaths shortly after application. The main defendants, Alexandra Gehrke and Jeffrey King, received over $330 million in illegal kickbacks.
In Florida, three pharmaceutical company owners were charged with distributing adulterated and misbranded HIV drugs, resulting in patients receiving incorrect medications. One patient was unconscious for 24 hours after taking a misbranded drug.
In Arizona and Florida, four people were charged with filing false claims for addiction treatment services, targeting the homeless and Native American populations. Rita Anagho, one of the defendants, was accused of paying for patient referrals and billing for services that were either never provided or were substandard. She also faced charges for money laundering and obstructing justice by falsifying records.