U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko | U.S. Department of Justice
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has initiated a new task force to combat government contract fraud. The Supply Chain Oversight and Procurement Enforcement (SCOPE) Task Force, established in 2024, aims to maintain supply chain integrity and prevent procurement fraud. This initiative supports the Government Supply Chain Investigations Unit (GSCIU), which is led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C.
The GSCIU focuses on investigating procurement and government contract fraud related to military, law enforcement, and public health and safety sectors. Its investigations have included cases involving substandard or fraudulent vaccines supplied to veterans through Veterans Affairs, faulty electronics provided to NASA or the military, and counterfeit armor given to law enforcement personnel.
“This task force brings together the USAO’s white collar crime unit, Homeland Security Investigations, and numerous other federal investigative agencies,” stated U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. She emphasized the importance of vigilance regarding products entering the government supply chain from prohibited sources or foreign countries of concern due to national security risks.
The SCOPE Task Force will convene its first meeting in early February. Discussions will cover topics such as public health and safety, vaccine and medicine fraud, counterfeit goods, intellectual property theft, and national security. Participating regional federal agencies include the FBI, NASA, HSI, NCIS, Intellectual Property Rights Center, Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Veterans Affairs, General Services Administration, Customs and Border Protection, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Army, and Defense Finance Accounting Service.
