Laura Ingraham: Fraudsters beware!
In a historic move, the Department of Justice revealed what marks the largest healthcare fraud crackdown ever recorded in the United States. They have filed charges against 455 individuals spread across 45 states, accused of embezzling $6.5 billion through fraudulent schemes targeting Medicare and Medicaid. Some of the illicitly gained money financed extravagant purchases, including luxury homes and a $135,000 Maserati.
On Tuesday, federal prosecutors charged ten individuals from Southern California for their roles in several healthcare fraud operations. One particularly notable case involved approximately $270 million in fake Medi-Cal claims, alongside another fraud attempt that allegedly swindled around $27 million from Medicare.
These charges form part of the Justice Department’s extensive “2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.” Through this initiative, they have indicted a total of 455 defendants, confronting fraudulent activities that sum up to over $6.5 billion.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche hailed this operation as “the most significant collaboration between federal and state forces in the battle against healthcare fraud ever undertaken.”
“The days of fraudsters pilfering taxpayer money are over,” Blanche declared during a press event unveiling the operation. “If you intend to deceive or injure Americans, rest assured we will track you down, confiscate your assets, and prosecute you with full legal force.”
FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a news conference announcing what federal officials described as the largest healthcare fraud takedown in U.S. history, resulting in charges against 455 defendants nationwide. (Ken Cedeno / AFP via Getty Images)
In the Central District of California, federal prosecutors brought criminal charges against 10 defendants accused of defrauding government-funded healthcare programs or abusing their positions as medical professionals to illegally prescribe controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said five individuals were arrested in the greater Los Angeles area for allegedly participating in a scheme that involved submitting nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal for expensive prescription drugs.
Among those charged was Christina Mareik, 61, also known as Christina Marie Sanchez Hernandez, of Whittier.
The Justice Department announced charges against 10 Southern California defendants in connection with multiple healthcare fraud schemes. (Department of Justice)
Prosecutors allege Mareik helped facilitate fraudulent prescriptions that generated nearly $270 million in claims to Medi-Cal, which ultimately paid out more than $178 million.
According to prosecutors, the claims involved expensive drugs containing low-cost generic ingredients that were either not medically necessary or were never provided to the purported recipients.
Authorities said Mareik also sent thousands of fraudulent prescriptions to a co-conspirator and caused the submission of fraudulent prescriptions under her own name.
Federal prosecutors allege Southern California defendants participated in schemes that defrauded Medicare and Medi-Cal of hundreds of millions of dollars. (Department of Justice)
Mareik was arrested June 17 and charged with healthcare fraud.
The charges also include a San Fernando Valley man accused of operating hospice care companies that fraudulently billed Medicare approximately $27 million, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors also charged Oren David Shachar, 59, of Van Nuys; Abraham Shin, 66, of Corona; and Jeannie Choi, 57, of Torrance.
The three defendants face a 16-count indictment alleging they conspired to defraud Medicare out of approximately $27 million.
The charges include conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft, monetary transactions involving criminally derived property exceeding $10,000, and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.