Federal officials have expanded the Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Midwest Strike Force following a series of major Medicaid fraud cases in Minnesota totaling more than $90 million in alleged losses.
During a press event in Minneapolis, Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald announced that the DOJ is adding 15 new prosecutors dedicated to Medicaid fraud enforcement nationwide. McDonald said the expansion is intended to strengthen federal capacity to investigate and prosecute complex fraud schemes across the Midwest, including Minnesota.
The announcement came as the DOJ detailed charges against 15 defendants accused of participating in multiple schemes targeting seven Minnesota Medicaid and social‑services programs. According to federal officials, the alleged fraud involved more than $90 million in intended losses and included the two largest Medicaid fraud cases ever charged in Minnesota.
Officials said the schemes included billing for services that were never provided, paying kickbacks to families in exchange for unnecessary autism diagnoses, and defrauding programs designed to support people with disabilities and seniors. Federal authorities described the Minnesota takedown as part of a broader national effort to “supercharge” health‑care fraud enforcement.
McDonald emphasized that the expansion of the Midwest Strike Force marks the beginning of a sustained federal push to address rising Medicaid fraud nationwide. He noted that the additional prosecutors will act as a “force multiplier” for existing strike‑force operations and will be deployable across the country as needed.
Sources
- CBS News
- NBC News
- The Highland County Press
- FOX 26 Houston
- KARE 11
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Office of Inspector General
- Sahan Journal