A significant legal operation has resulted in nearly 50 individuals being charged in the Southern District of Texas as part of a nationwide effort to combat health care fraud. The Department of Justice's 2025 national health care fraud takedown includes 22 cases filed in federal court, targeting various fraudulent schemes involving Medicare and Medicaid.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei stated, "Americans rely on Medicare for needed treatments and living-saving care. Those that bilk this fund to unlawfully enrich themselves are ultimately stealing from the taxpayer and damaging public confidence in our health system." He emphasized the Department of Justice's commitment to protecting public funds.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi remarked on the scale of the operation: "This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers."
Among the largest cases is an alleged $110 million hospice fraud scheme involving Dera Ogudo, Victoria Martinez, and Carlos Munoz. They are accused of misleading elderly patients about their enrollment in hospice services without meeting necessary medical criteria.
In another case, Keilan Peterson and Kimberly Martinez face charges related to distributing controlled substances through Houston clinics. They allegedly issued over two million unauthorized prescriptions using doctors' credentials.
David Jenson and Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes have been charged with billing Medicare $90 million for unnecessary skin substitute products, while Tyneza P. Mitchell is accused of fraudulent COVID-19 claims amounting to $9.9 million.
Additional cases involve fraudulent billing for mental health services, illegal distribution of opioids, and kickback schemes related to genetic testing and durable medical equipment.
The coordinated law enforcement action involved multiple agencies including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, among others. Prosecutors from various districts across the country are handling these cases as part of a broader strategy against health care fraud.
The defendants allegedly defrauded programs intended for elderly and disabled care, resulting in over $14.6 billion in intended losses. Over $245 million in assets have been seized by authorities during this operation.
For further details on each case involved in these enforcement actions, information is available on the Department of Justice’s website.
