Criminal charges have been announced against four individuals as part of the Department of Justice's 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson revealed that these defendants are implicated in schemes defrauding Medicare and other government programs.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson stated, “The charges announced yesterday reinforce the combined missions of the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and our law enforcement partners, to aggressively, and relentlessly, pursue those perpetrators who attempt to victimize our nation’s citizens.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented on the scale of this 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.”
The coordinated action resulted in charges against 324 defendants accused of health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes involving over $14.6 billion in false billings and more than 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances.
Among those charged in the Eastern District of Louisiana is Leland Roberts from Georgia, accused of conspiracy to commit health care fraud by billing Medicare for unnecessary genetic testing totaling over $30 million. Dr. Marion Lee also faces similar charges related to a scheme involving approximately $24 million.
Steven D. Peyroux was indicted for conspiring to bill Medicare about $12.1 million for unrequested OTC COVID-19 tests while Zoe Francis is charged with embezzling funds from a New Orleans non-profit organization.
HHS-OIG Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins emphasized the importance of accountability: “The scale of this Takedown is unprecedented... Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system... will be held accountable.”
Special Agent Jonathan Tapp added: "Stealing from patients who rely on our government to provide healthcare is despicable."
Multiple U.S Attorneys’ Offices across various districts are involved in prosecuting these cases with assistance from state attorney generals’ offices.
All defendants remain innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
