The United States Department of Justice has charged a Nigerian national, Olatunbosun Osukoya, along with 323 others across the country in a sweeping health care fraud enforcement operation targeting schemes responsible for over $14 billion in intended losses.
In what has been described as one of the largest coordinated health care fraud actions in U.S. history, federal authorities say the accused individuals, including Osukoya, were involved in fraudulent billing for unnecessary medical procedures, prescription drug scams, kickbacks, and exploitation of vulnerable patients particularly the elderly.
The Justice Department disclosed that the charges stemmed from investigations across 58 federal districts and were carried out in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the FBI, and state Medicaid Fraud Control Units. While the full details of Osukoya’s specific involvement remain under wraps, authorities confirmed that his charges relate to a larger network targeting public health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the action “demonstrates our commitment to protecting the integrity of our healthcare system and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used properly.” Investigations are ongoing, with more suspects expected to be brought in for questioning.
