Laura Ingraham: Fraudsters beware!
The Justice Department has unveiled what officials are calling the largest healthcare fraud crackdown in U.S. history, bringing charges against 455 people in 45 states. Prosecutors say the defendants siphoned roughly $6.5 billion from Medicare and Medicaid through wound-care scams and other false-billing operations, with some proceeds allegedly spent on high-end homes and luxury vehicles, including a $135,000 Maserati.
Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that 10 defendants in Southern California were charged in multiple healthcare fraud cases. The allegations include one scheme tied to nearly $270 million in fraudulent Medi-Cal billings and another that authorities say cost Medicare about $27 million.
Those cases were included in the Justice Department’s sweeping “2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown,” a nationwide enforcement action that led to charges against 455 defendants accused of participating in more than $6.5 billion in alleged fraud.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called the operation “the greatest combined federal and state effort in combating healthcare fraud in history.”
“Fraudsters can no longer rip off American taxpayers,” Blanche said at a news conference announcing the effort. “If you seek to harm or cheat Americans, we will find you, seize any assets and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks at a news conference where federal officials announced what they described as the largest healthcare fraud takedown in U.S. history, with charges filed against 455 defendants across the country. (Ken Cedeno / AFP via Getty Images)
In the Central District of California, federal authorities filed criminal charges against 10 people accused of cheating publicly funded healthcare programs or exploiting their roles as medical professionals to unlawfully 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.
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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.
