LEXINGTON, Ky. - U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. sent a letter to hospital executives in Eastern Kentucky on Monday, asking them to provide information to law enforcement about individuals and companies that may be acquiring or selling medical supplies for the purpose of hoarding or price gouging.
“Our Office is focused on deterrence, investigation, and prosecution of wrongdoing related to the COVID-19 pandemic-including those engaged in hoarding and/or price-gouging critical medical supplies," said U.S. Attorney Duncan. “We are asking for the help of hospital and medical professionals in identifying individuals and companies that may have acquired vital medical supplies in excess of what would reasonably be used, or for the purpose of charging exorbitant prices. We are committed holding accountable those who are preventing valuable resources being provided to hospitals and other medical professionals who desparately need them.
The letter was sent to hospitals and healthcare systems in Eastern Kentucky, as part of a coordinated, nationwide effort to combat COVID-19 related fraud. On March 20, Attorney General William Barr directed all 93 U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of COVID-19 fraud. U.S. Attorney Duncan appointed AUSA Paul McCaffrey to lead the Office’s COVID-19 response. The Office is also partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, the FBI Louisville Field Division, and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office as part of the Kentucky Coronavirus Fraud Task Force.
U.S. Attorney Duncan encourages the public to report COVID-19 related fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline at 1-866-720-5721or to the email address disaster@leo.gov.
Read U.S. Attorney Duncan’s letter to hospital leadership below.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
