{"id":372749,"date":"2026-06-24T08:12:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T08:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/372749\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T08:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T08:12:12","slug":"doj-charges-10-southern-california-defendants-in-largest-federal-healthcare-fraud-crackdown-in-us-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/372749\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ charges 10 Southern California defendants in largest federal healthcare fraud crackdown in US history"},"content":{"rendered":"

Federal authorities on Tuesday charged 10 Southern California<\/a> defendants in a series of healthcare fraud schemes, including one case involving nearly $270 million in fraudulent Medi-Cal claims and another that allegedly defrauded Medicare out of approximately $27 million.<\/p>\n

The charges were part of the Justice Department’s broader “2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown,” which resulted in charges against 455 defendants nationwide in schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in alleged fraud.<\/p>\n

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche described the operation as “the greatest combined federal and state effort in combating healthcare fraud in history.”<\/p>\n

“Fraudsters can no longer rip off American taxpayers,” Blanche said during a news conference announcing the initiative. “If you seek to harm or cheat Americans, we will find you, seize any assets and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”<\/p>\n

Fbi Adds 2 Fugitives To ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters’ List Amid Historic $6.5B Healthcare Takedown: Patel<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Acting<\/p>\n

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a news conference announcing what federal officials described as the largest healthcare fraud takedown in U.S. history, resulting in charges against 455 defendants nationwide.<\/p>\n

(Getty Images)<\/p>\n

In the Central District of California<\/a>, federal prosecutors brought criminal charges against 10 defendants accused of defrauding government-funded healthcare programs or abusing their positions as medical professionals to illegally prescribe controlled substances.<\/p>\n

Read On The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said five individuals were arrested in the greater Los Angeles area for allegedly participating in a scheme that involved submitting nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal for expensive prescription drugs.<\/p>\n

Among those charged was Christina Mareik, 61, also known as Christina Marie Sanchez Hernandez, of Whittier.<\/p>\n

Hospice Fraud Uses Stolen Identities For Fake Patients<\/a><\/p>\n

Prosecutors allege Mareik helped facilitate fraudulent prescriptions that generated nearly $270 million in claims to Medi-Cal, which ultimately paid out more than $178 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to prosecutors, the claims involved expensive drugs containing low-cost generic ingredients that were either not medically necessary or were never provided to the purported recipients.<\/p>\n

Authorities said Mareik also sent thousands of fraudulent prescriptions to a co-conspirator and caused the submission of fraudulent prescriptions under her own name.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Hospice Fraud Reaches Billions As Medicare Providers Scam Federal System With Fake Companies<\/a><\/p>\n

Mareik was arrested June 17 and charged with healthcare fraud.<\/p>\n

The charges also include a San Fernando Valley man accused of operating hospice care companies that fraudulently<\/a> billed Medicare approximately $27 million, according to prosecutors.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors also charged Oren David Shachar, 59, of Van Nuys; Abraham Shin, 66, of Corona; and Jeannie Choi, 57, of Torrance.<\/p>\n

The three defendants face a 16-count indictment alleging they conspired to defraud Medicare out of approximately $27 million.<\/p>\n

Click Here To Download The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n

The charges include conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft<\/a>, monetary transactions involving criminally derived property exceeding $10,000, and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.<\/p>\n

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

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