ALBANY, NEW YORK - The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York convened a meeting of the NDNY Health Care Fraud Task Force, bringing together representatives from federal and state agencies, regulatory partners, and private-sector stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in the fight against health care fraud.

The meeting marks the revitalization of a task force designed to support information sharing, investigative coordination, and strategic enforcement efforts across the Northern District of New York. The task force was established in 2004 and was suspended in 2020.

First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III was joined by Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice National Fraud Enforcement Division, Colin M. McDonald, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz.

"I commend the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York for its decisive leadership in revitalizing the NDNY Health Care Fraud Task Force," said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Department of Justice, National Fraud Enforcement Division. "By convening federal, state, regulatory, and private-sector partners, this Office is sending a clear message: health care fraud will not be tolerated in this country. Focused initiatives like this task force are vital to protecting vulnerable patients, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and preserving the integrity of our health care system. I look forward to working closely with this outstanding team in the fight against fraud."

"The reconvening of this task force should put all fraudsters on notice," said First Assistant United States Attorney John Sarcone. "Those who enrich themselves through stealing from the hardworking American taxpayers will be relentlessly investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable to the highest standard under the law. I thank Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald for joining our task force meeting and for his leadership in advancing the Trump Administration's whole-of-government approach to these investigations. Together our partner agencies with the full support of the federal government, will use every available tool to identify fraud, dismantle criminal schemes, and recover taxpayer dollars. Health care fraud is not a victimless crime, every fraudulent claim submitted, every false bill paid, and every scheme designed to exploit our system steals from the taxpayers and exploits the integrity of programs that millions depend upon."

Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli, stated: "The criminals committing health care fraud operate across jurisdictions, exploit technology, move money rapidly, and often rely on the assumption that government agencies will remain siloed in their response. Our responsibility is to prove them wrong. Americans expect government funds to be used as intended, and the strength of this task force is found in our collective ability to share intelligence and coordinate resources to ensure anyone who chooses to abuse our systems is swiftly investigated and brought to justice."

"The mission of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in federal health care programs. Our agency is incredibly grateful to have such strong partnerships with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as well as private entities that contribute to safeguarding health care programs," stated Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. "Fraud in our health care system is a billion-dollar problem that affects taxpayers, vulnerable populations, and citizens who rely on health care providers to prioritize care over greed. This task force is an exemplary effort of public and private partnership to protect the federal health programs that serve millions of beneficiaries."

The task force will focus on identifying emerging fraud trends, coordinating investigations among partner agencies, sharing intelligence, and pursuing both criminal and civil enforcement actions against individuals and organizations engaged in fraudulent conduct involving federal and state health care programs.

The inaugural meeting included representatives from the following entities:

• Federal agencies: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG); U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York.

• New York State agencies: New York State Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG); New York State Office of the State Comptroller (OSC); New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS); New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE).

• Program integrity contractor: Northeastern Unified Program Integrity Contractor (NE UPIC).

• Private-sector partners: UnitedHealthcare; MVP Health Care; Excellus BlueCross BlueShield; Fidelis Care; Capital District Physicians' Health Plan (CDPHP); MetLife.

FAUSA Sarcone said "I want to sincerely thank all our task force members-federal, state, and private-for their commitment to this mission. Working together, sharing intelligence, resources, and investigative tactics to detect fraud, we can hold offenders at all levels accountable, recover taxpayer dollars and root out fraud. I applaud their commitment to proactively pursuing these fraudsters.

The United States Attorney's Office expects future announcements and press conferences in the coming months announcing investigations, prosecutions, and task force updates

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.