The Justice Department (DOJ) announced Tuesday that federal authorities have charged 455 defendants in a nationwide health care fraud operation involving an estimated $6.5 billion in false claims against government-funded health care programs.
The cases are part of the department's annual National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which targeted alleged schemes involving Medicare, Medicaid and other taxpayer-funded health care programs.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a news conference at Justice Department headquarters that the operation uncovered the second-largest dollar amount ever charged in a single health care fraud enforcement action.
Federal officials alleged that defendants participated in a range of schemes, including fraudulent billing practices, kickback arrangements and the provision of unnecessary medical services in an effort to improperly obtain government health care funds.
The operation involved cooperation among multiple federal agencies, U.S. territories and 45 states.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration intends to aggressively pursue individuals accused of abusing public health care programs.
"If you exploit patients for profit, if you steal Medicaid or Medicare dollars, if you treat taxpayer dollars as your personal bank account, we will investigate you. We will build the case, and we will bring you to justice," Kennedy said.
Kennedy also noted that participating jurisdictions included 18 states led by Democratic governors.
Among the cases highlighted by federal officials was an alleged fraudulent EKG testing scheme connected to the death of University of Mobile basketball player Kaiden Francis.
According to officials, Francis' EKG was allegedly reviewed incorrectly. Authorities said the test was examined in 11 seconds despite indications that his heart was significantly enlarged.
Francis later collapsed during a team workout in 2024.
His mother, speaking at the event, condemned the physician involved in the case.
"The doctor is as bad as any greedy criminal who is killing people in the streets. I hope he rots in jail so no one else is hurt, but my son will never come back to me. That's the real human cost that we were speaking of on the stage," she said.
A spokesperson for the University of Mobile said Francis had undergone multiple medical evaluations, including heart and lung screenings, before his death, and that "none of these tests indicated health concerns."
Federal officials described the takedown as one of the largest coordinated anti-fraud operations in the nation, emphasizing what they said is the administration's commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars and rooting out abuse within government-funded health care programs.