455 individuals charged with perpetrating healthcare fraud to the collective tune of $6.5B+
The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday announced it has arrested hundreds of people for participating in healthcare fraud and opioid crimes. The effort was the main leg of this year’s “National Health Care Fraud Takedown.”
The 455 defendants include 90 physicians and other licensed medical professionals.
DOJ estimates the total illegal grab at north of $6.5 billion, most of it connected with false insurance claims, and says some of the thefts resulted in significant patient harms, including death.
The agency says the 2026 win took two weeks to pull off and now represents the start of a “new era” of cooperation between federal, state and international bodies working on the healthcare fraud front.
“This is just the beginning,” Acting U.S. District Attorney Todd Blanche said at a news conference publicizing the takedown. “This announcement marks the greatest combined federal and state effort in combating healthcare fraud in history.”
Accent on accountability
In a written announcement, DOJ says the action involves cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, “the most in Department history,” DOJ reports.
What’s more, the $6.5B figure represents just the U.S.
Concurrent collaboration with enforcement agencies outside this country led to the apprehension of, for example, two defendants in Estonia now held responsible for $10.6 billion in ill-pursued gains; one in Kyrenia, Cyprus, believed to be behind a scheme of more than $3.7 billion; and, in the Philippines, one of the FBI’s most wanted fraudsters, now charged with telemedicine fraud totaling around $1.2 billion.
“The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors,” DOJ says, adding that the endeavor’s recoveries include more than $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry and other assets, along with “full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms. “
Numbers flesh out the facts
Other key aspects of the project as listed in DOJ’s June 23 announcement:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- Civil monetary payment settlements numbering almost 50 and amounting to more than $73 million. These include more than 1,400 provider exclusions as well as 25 actions by HHS’s Office of Inspector General seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund “from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.”
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in healthcare fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- More than 900 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
Kennedy warns would-be fraudsters at large
At the press conference, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. remarked that healthcare fraud “steals from taxpayers, exploits vulnerable patients and puts lives at risk.”
“Today’s historic enforcement action sends a clear message: If you use our healthcare system to enrich yourself at the expense of patients or the American people, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will hold you accountable,” Kennedy added.
“HHS will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect patients, safeguard taxpayer dollars and restore integrity to our healthcare system.”
More details from DOJ’s webpages on healthcare fraud:
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.