The Department of Justice charged 455 defendants on June 23, 2026, in the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, marking a record enforcement action involving over $6.5 billion in alleged false claims across health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes.
The takedown represents an escalation from the prior year: the 2025 action charged 324 defendants in connection with over $14.6 billion in alleged fraud. This year’s operation, while charging more defendants, reflects a shift in enforcement strategy toward broader geographic participation and data-driven targeting of specific fraud schemes.
Among the 455 defendants, 90 were doctors and other licensed medical professionals. The charges span 56 federal districts and involve 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating—the most in Department history, according to the DOJ announcement.
Medicaid fraud emerged as a major focus. The takedown included charges against 295 defendants for Medicaid fraud involving over $518 million in alleged false claims, making it the largest Medicaid fraud enforcement action in DOJ history. Schemes targeted vulnerable populations: in the Eastern District of New York, eight defendants were charged for a $38 million fraud on New York Medicaid for social adult day care services that were never provided, with defendants falsely billing for hundreds of beneficiaries per day at facilities with occupancy limits of 30 people.
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