State and federal prosecutors have charged over 320 individuals and uncovered nearly $15 billion in fraudulent claims, marking the largest coordinated effort against health care fraud in Justice Department history. Law enforcement seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury cars, cryptocurrency, and other assets, highlighting the threat posed by international criminal networks exploiting the U.S. health care system. The investigation traced perpetrators back to Russia, Eastern Europe, Pakistan, and beyond.
“These criminals didn’t just take someone else’s money; they stole from you,” emphasized Matthew Galeotti, who leads the Justice Department’s criminal division. Nearly 100 licensed medical professionals, including 25 doctors, have been implicated across almost 190 federal and over 90 state cases, with the government reporting actual losses of $2.9 billion.
One notorious scheme, Operation Gold Rush, involved a $10 billion urinary catheter fraud in which foreign straw owners purchased numerous medical supply companies and submitted fake Medicare claims using the stolen identities of more than a million Americans. Nineteen defendants have been charged, with arrests in Estonia, at U.S. airports, and along the Mexico border.
The 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown resulted in charges against 324 defendants across 50 federal districts, including doctors, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists. Authorities also prevented an additional $4 billion in fraudulent claims and secured civil settlements totaling $34.3 million.
“This is the largest healthcare fraud investigation by financial losses in DOJ history,” stated FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “If you’re stealing from the public or breaking your oath to serve, we’re coming for you.”
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. revealed that 11 individuals linked to a Russian transnational criminal organization were charged in Operation Gold Rush for submitting billions in false Medicare claims through control of durable medical equipment companies.