DOJ Charges 455 People in 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown Over $6.5 Billion Claims

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a two-week healthcare fraud enforcement action charging 455 people across the United States in connection with over $6.5 billion in alleged false claims submitted to insurers.

“WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department announced criminal charges Tuesday against 455 people as part of a two-week healthcare fraud crackdown that officials say involved more than $6”

Alton Telegraph

The crackdown, announced Tuesday, is described as the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown and targets schemes that include submitting claims for services never provided.

Alton Telegraph

Among the most prominent cases, Dr. Jason Finkelstein, a 53-year-old cardiologist based in Texas, is charged in Florida with healthcare fraud and conspiracy in an alleged $89 million scheme involving medically unnecessary cardiovascular screening tests for college athletes.

Federal prosecutors contend that Finkelstein and co-conspirators billed insurers for tests administered to students with no preexisting conditions and then certified results as normal without personally reviewing them.

The indictment cites a 2024 incident in which Finkelstein allegedly signed off on approximately 63 test result images for a single patient in just 11 seconds, and officials said the teenage patient later died on the basketball court.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said, “We are aggressively scaling our offensive against anyone using healthcare as a front to steal from the American people,” as the Justice Department released results of the 14-day effort.

FBI Director Kash Patel described Ibrahim Khaldoon Hilmi as the “mastermind” of one of the largest Medicare fraud schemes in U.S. history, saying Hilmi was arrested after perpetrating a multi-billion dollar fraud in Turkey and transferred back to the United States for prosecution.

CNN

In Florida, Mehmet Oz said of the Finkelstein case, “This is not a diagnostic company. It’s a predatory scheme dressed up in,” tying the alleged conduct to patient harm.

A lawyer for Finkelstein, a Texas-based doctor who pleaded not guilty during a court appearance in Florida on Monday, did not return messages seeking comment.

The indictment quotes Finkelstein as telling an unnamed co-conspirator that “(t)hese kids could be high risk ...(o)ne of them drops dead on a field, they’re coming after both of us.”

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the crackdown’s results include the seizure of more than $180 million in cash and other assets, framing the action as taking back money from alleged fraudsters.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. said his agency will use advanced artificial intelligence and data analytics to better flag suspicious claims, aiming to replace a system that pays claims first and chases fraud later.

The Justice Department says the charges cover offenses such as healthcare fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, with schemes targeting Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers.

Prosecutors allege that Finkelstein’s company relied on sonographers who lacked the requisite credentials to travel to college campuses to perform tests, and that because Finkelstein was licensed in the 48 contiguous states, claims could be submitted nationwide.

In the case described by prosecutors, Finkelstein allegedly certified cardiac test results as normal without review, and officials said the teenage patient later died on the basketball court, underscoring the consequences described in the indictment.