100 South Floridians Indicted In Biggest Health Care Fraud Bust In U.S.

The U.S. departments of Justice and Health and Human Services on Wednesday morning jointly announced the largest health care fraud takedown in U.S. history.

The Southern District of Florida is home to about one-third of the defendants charged and about one-fourth of the allegedly fraudulent billings.

$900 Million 

Combined, the 301 individuals charged nationwide were involved in alleged schemes which resulted in $900 million in false billings.

“As this takedown should make clear, health care fraud is not an abstract violation or benign offense. It is a serious crime,” Attorney General Loretta Lynch said. “The wrongdoers that we pursue in these operations seek to use public funds for private enrichment. They target real people – many of them in need of significant medical care.”

Fraudulent Claims

The hundreds of defendants, charged over the past three days, allegedly took part in schemes to submit Medicare and Medicaid claims for treatments that were medically unnecessary or never provided.