Justice Department Expands Health Care Fraud Unit to Target Health Care Fraud in Massachusetts

BOSTON - The Justice Department's Criminal Division announced the expansion of its Health Care Fraud Unit's New England Strike Force to the District of Massachusetts today. This expansion brings enhanced federal enforcement resources to one of the nation's most significant health care and life sciences hubs.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts has a national reputation in health care enforcement and has developed a significant record of success in investigating and prosecuting health care fraud, including complex cases involving pharmaceutical and medical device companies, providers, and executives. In FY 2025 alone, working together on health care fraud enforcement, the U.S. Attorney's Office's Health Care Fraud Unit and Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit recovered more than $450 million in fraudulently obtained funds. Building on the U.S. Attorney's Office's historic track record and the success of the Criminal Division's Health Care Fraud Unit's specialized prosecutors and data-driven, multi-agency Strike Force model, the Department is deploying a powerful force multiplier, allowing it to accelerate the detection, investigation, and prosecution of complex fraud schemes throughout the District of Massachusetts.

"Boston is home to world-class health care institutions, cutting-edge life sciences innovators, and a robust health care startup ecosystem, making it one of the most influential and active regions in the national health care landscape," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "The expansion of the New England Strike Force to Boston will ensure that we are focused, efficient, and coordinated in our efforts to root out both individual and corporate bad actors engaged in criminal misconduct in the health care marketplace."

"The U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts has a long history of leading the nation in health care fraud enforcement," said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. "The unique partnership between our criminal and civil health care fraud enforcement matters has led to groundbreaking and historic enforcement success and industrywide changes. The Office has cracked down on fraud committed by pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers as well as unethical doctors and corporate executives who put greed ahead of patient safety and steal from government programs. The Strike Force model will act as a force multiplier, increasing resources and promoting even greater successes."

"Healthcare fraud costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year, whether it is through the unlawful diversion of federal program funds or powerful prescription drugs," said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division. "That is why the FBI is working day in and day out to root out those who place a greater value on profits than they do on the well-being of patients. We welcome the expansion of the New England Strike Force to Massachusetts as we continue to work with our partners to hold anyone fleecing the U.S. government accountable."

"The expansion of the New England Health Care Fraud Strike Force into Boston further strengthens our capacity to protect Medicare and Medicaid from criminal networks," stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "As a national hub for health care innovation, Boston presents both extraordinary promise for HHS initiatives and increased exposure to sophisticated complex fraud schemes. This strategic expansion underscores our unwavering commitment to deploying investigative expertise where the stakes are highest, working in close collaboration with law enforcement partners to advance fraud detection, dismantle criminal schemes, and hold wrongdoers accountable."

"Protecting the public from harm caused by criminal misconduct involving drugs and medical devices is a priority for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)," said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office. "The expansion of the Strike Force into Boston, a vital hub for life sciences, will enable more robust and coordinated efforts to dismantle criminal networks that introduce unlawful medical products into the market, ultimately protecting patient health and trust in our healthcare system."

As part of the expansion, the New England Strike Force, which was launched in June 2022 and is led by Fraud Section Assistant Chief Kevin Lowell, will coordinate closely with the U.S. Attorney's Office's Health Care Fraud Unit, led by Chief Mackenzie Queenin. In addition to the FBI, HHS-OIG and FDA, the Strike Force will partner with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and key state agencies, including the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of Massachusetts and the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts.

Through the establishment of this strategic partnership with the District of Massachusetts, the Justice Department's Health Care Fraud Unit continues to build on its record of success during a historic enforcement year, which to-date has included the announcement of the largest-ever National Health Care Fraud Takedown in June 2025. In addition, the Unit has significantly expanded its focus on corporate accountability, resolving cases against companies engaged in systemic fraudulent conduct, including recent corporate resolutions with the Kimberly-Clark Corporation and Troy Health, Inc. The Unit's corporate enforcement efforts align closely with the U.S. Attorney's Offices in Massachusetts and its reputation of successful prosecutions of corporate bad actors operating in the health care industry.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which was launched in March 2007. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.