Attorney General Bondi’s Weekly Briefing

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, June 29 -- Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi issued the following weekly briefing:

Working with our federal partners, this week, my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit announced the arrest of 601 individuals on charges related to $2 billion in health care fraud. Health care fraud costs taxpayers throughout the state and country billions of dollars and increases medical costs. As part of this nationwide bust, we have arrested some of the worst offenders and have stopped the illegal sale of addictive prescription opioids--hopefully saving lives.

Included in the nationwide takedown, my MFCU, the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services arrested three culprits for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Anyone who owns and operates a pharmacy and takes part in illegal behavior, such as submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid, will be prosecuted. Florida's medical professionals and pharmacy owners dedicate their lives to helping others and it is shameful when bad actors take part in fraud costing patients money and damaging the reputation of these hardworking professionals.

Let this nationwide health care fraud takedown be a warning to all--you will not get away with defrauding these programs. Medicare and Medicaid serve millions of older and lower-income Americans, giving countless people the ability to have health insurance. By deceiving health care, you are hurting the most vulnerable among us, and I will make sure you pay the price.