Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
The Justice Department’s Criminal Division has announced the expansion of its Health Care Fraud Unit’s New England Strike Force to include the District of Massachusetts. This move aims to strengthen federal enforcement efforts in a region recognized as a major center for health care and life sciences.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts is known nationally for its work in health care fraud enforcement. In fiscal year 2025, the office’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit recovered over $450 million in funds obtained through fraudulent means. The expansion will bring additional resources to identify, investigate, and prosecute complex fraud schemes within Massachusetts.
“Boston is home to world-class health care institutions, cutting-edge life sciences innovators, and a robust health care startup ecosystem, making it one of the most influential and active regions in the national health care landscape,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The expansion of the New England Strike Force to Boston will ensure that we are focused, efficient, and coordinated in our efforts to root out both individual and corporate bad actors engaged in criminal misconduct in the health care marketplace.”
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts stated: “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts has a long history of leading the nation in health care fraud enforcement. The unique partnership between our criminal and civil health care fraud enforcement matters has led to groundbreaking and historic enforcement success and industrywide changes. The Office has cracked down on fraud committed by pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers as well as unethical doctors and corporate executives who put greed ahead of patient safety and steal from government programs. The Strike Force model will act as a force multiplier, increasing resources and promoting even greater successes.”
Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, commented: “Healthcare fraud costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year, whether it is through the unlawful diversion of federal program funds or powerful prescription drugs. That is why the FBI is working day in and day out to root out those who place a greater value on profits than they do on the well-being of patients. We welcome the expansion of the New England Strike Force to Massachusetts as we continue to work with our partners to hold anyone fleecing the U.S. government accountable.”
Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank from HHS-OIG added: “The expansion of the New England Health Care Fraud Strike Force into Boston further strengthens our capacity to protect Medicare and Medicaid from criminal networks. As a national hub for health care innovation, Boston presents both extraordinary promise for HHS initiatives and increased exposure to sophisticated complex fraud schemes. This strategic expansion underscores our unwavering commitment to deploying investigative expertise where the stakes are highest, working in close collaboration with law enforcement partners to advance fraud detection, dismantle criminal schemes, and hold wrongdoers accountable.”
Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan from FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations stated: “Protecting the public from harm caused by criminal misconduct involving drugs and medical devices is a priority for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The expansion of the Strike Force into Boston, a vital hub for life sciences, will enable more robust and coordinated efforts to dismantle criminal networks that introduce unlawful medical products into the market, ultimately protecting patient health and trust in our healthcare system.”
With this initiative, agencies such as FBI, HHS-OIG, FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations—as well as DEA; Homeland Security Investigations; VA OIG; IRS Criminal Investigation; state agencies like Massachusetts’ Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; Insurance Fraud Bureau—will coordinate closely with local units.
This development follows what officials describe as an unprecedented year for enforcement actions against healthcare fraud nationally—including June 2025's largest-ever National Health Care Fraud Takedown—and recent cases targeting corporate wrongdoing involving companies such as Kimberly-Clark Corporation and Troy Health Inc.
More information about these efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
