The Justice Department is bulking up its efforts to root out health care fraud, expanding a regional strike force into Boston and putting drug companies, medical device makers, doctors and corporate executives on notice about heightened investigatory measures.
The department’s criminal division announced on Tuesday the expansion of its Health Care Fraud Unit’s New England Strike Force to the District of Massachusetts, pledging to bring “enhanced federal enforcement resources to one of the nation’s most significant health care and life sciences hubs.”
Officials said specialized prosecutors and the strike force’s data-driven, multi-agency model will collectively deploy a “powerful force multiplier, allowing it to accelerate the detection, investigation, and prosecution of complex fraud schemes throughout the District of 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 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.”
The strike force, which was launched in 2022 and is led by Fraud Section Assistant Chief Kevin Lowell, will coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, led by Chief Mackenzie Queenin. It plans to coordinate with the FBI, IRS, and other federal and state agencies.
“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,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “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.”