DoJ charges 15 in California for nearly $2B healthcare fraud

The Department of Justice and California prosecutors announced charges against more than a dozen individuals involved in nearly $2 billion in fraudulent healthcare claims.

Fifteen people have been charged, with at least eight arrested, in connection with fraud at substance abuse treatment centers, hospice services, and among surgeons in Southern California, according to mymotherlode.com.

At least six of those charged are doctors, including one accused of performing unnecessary surgeries to bill Medicaid for over $130 million, according to prosecutors.

This crackdown is part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to combat abuse of federal aid programs, which also includes a $25 million initiative to encourage whistleblowers to report suspected fraud.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald emphasized the department's commitment to pursuing those who treat healthcare patients as financial targets, underscoring the seriousness of the enforcement action.