The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia has announced criminal charges against several defendants as part of the Department of Justice's 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. This initiative aims to address alleged schemes defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and other federally funded health care programs.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro stated that "health care fraud costs this country billions of taxpayer dollars every year." She emphasized the office's commitment to uncovering fraud and holding perpetrators accountable.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi highlighted the significance of this operation, saying it "delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers."
The nationwide effort involved federal and state law enforcement agencies working together to combat health care fraud schemes. The government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets during these efforts. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reported preventing over $4 billion in false claims payments and revoking billing privileges for 205 providers.
Assistant Director Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office commented on the impact of health care fraud: "It raises health insurance premiums, exposes patients to unnecessary medical procedures, and can lead to identity theft."
HHS-OIG Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins noted that individuals attempting to exploit the federal health care system would be held accountable: "Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes."
In specific cases within the District of Columbia:
- Amstrong Chapajong from Cheverly, Maryland is charged with health care fraud related to an overlapping billing scheme involving Medicaid.
- Michelle Shropshire and Harlisha Jones are accused of submitting fraudulent insurance claims using Jones’s policies with AFLAC.
Other WMATA employees have also been implicated in similar fraudulent activities involving AFLAC insurance claims.
These cases were investigated by various law enforcement agencies including the FBI’s Washington Field Office and HHS-OIG. The prosecution involves multiple U.S. Attorneys' Offices nationwide alongside State Attorneys General Offices.
Descriptions of each case involved in today's enforcement action are available on the Department of Justice website.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
