Trending Now - California Targets $267M Hospice Fraud With Five Arrests
WHO:
CNN - California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the arrests.
CNN - First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee, commented on the situation.
Fox News - California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson provided information on the investigation.
Fox News - State Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo highlighted concerns about hospice registrations.
WHAT:
CNN - California officials announced that the hospice fraud scheme involved billing for services that were never provided, totaling over $267 million in fraudulent claims.
Fox News - The investigation revealed that the suspects used fake records, nonexistent offices, and fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
ABC News - The individuals charged are accused of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft with aggravated white collar crime and money laundering enhancements.
CNN - California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that the California Department of Justice’s division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse has recovered more than $1.5 billion from civil and criminal Medi-Cal fraud cases in the last decade.
Fox News - Bonta mentioned that if found guilty, those charged could face up to 16 years in prison.
ABC News - The individuals charged are accused of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft with aggravated white collar crime and money laundering enhancements.
CNN - The investigation uncovered a network of shell companies that were purchasing personal identifying information on the dark web and enrolling out-of-state residents into California’s hospice care system.
Fox News - The suspects used fake records, nonexistent offices, and fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
ABC News - The individuals are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft with aggravated white collar crime and money laundering enhancements.
CNN - Five individuals have been arrested as part of a hospice fraud scheme.
CNN - More than 20 people have been charged in connection with the scheme.
CNN - The fraud scheme is alleged to have defrauded California of over $267 million.
Fox News - The investigation is named "Operation Skip Trace."
Fox News - The fraudulent operation involved billing Medi-Cal for services that were never provided.
Fox News - The suspects used over 130 shell companies to launder money.
CNN - California officials announced that the hospice fraud scheme involved billing for services that were never provided, totaling over $267 million in fraudulent claims.
Fox News - The investigation revealed that the suspects used fake records, nonexistent offices, and fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
ABC News - The individuals charged are accused of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft with aggravated white collar crime and money laundering enhancements.
CNN - California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that the California Department of Justice’s division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse has recovered more than $1.5 billion from civil and criminal Medi-Cal fraud cases in the last decade.
Fox News - Bonta mentioned that if found guilty, those charged could face up to 16 years in prison.
ABC News - The individuals charged are accused of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft with aggravated white collar crime and money laundering enhancements.
CNN - The investigation uncovered a network of shell companies that were purchasing personal identifying information on the dark web and enrolling out-of-state residents into California’s hospice care system.
Fox News - The suspects used fake records, nonexistent offices, and fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
ABC News - The individuals are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft with aggravated white collar crime and money laundering enhancements.
CNN - Five individuals have been arrested as part of a hospice fraud scheme.
CNN - More than 20 people have been charged in connection with the scheme.
CNN - The fraud scheme is alleged to have defrauded California of over $267 million.
Fox News - The investigation is named "Operation Skip Trace."
Fox News - The fraudulent operation involved billing Medi-Cal for services that were never provided.
Fox News - The suspects used over 130 shell companies to launder money.
WHERE:
CNN - The arrests were made in Southern California.
Fox News - The investigation targeted 14 companies in California.
CNN - The arrests were made in Southern California.
Fox News - The investigation targeted 14 companies in California.
WHEN:
CNN - The announcement of the arrests was made on Thursday, April 7th, 2026.
CNN - "Operation Skip Trace" was launched in the spring of 2025.
Fox News - A moratorium on new licensed providers is in place through January 2027.
CNN - The announcement of the arrests was made on Thursday, April 7th, 2026.
CNN - "Operation Skip Trace" was launched in the spring of 2025.
Fox News - A moratorium on new licensed providers is in place through January 2027.
WHY:
CNN - Bonta accused the Trump administration of politicizing the issue of hospice and medical fraud in an attempt to improve Trump’s approval rating.
CNN - Bonta accused the Trump administration of politicizing the issue of hospice and medical fraud in an attempt to improve Trump’s approval rating.
ABC News - The investigation was initiated after the Department of Health Care Services notified state prosecutors of potential fraud.
CNN - The investigation was initiated after receiving a tip regarding alleged hospice fraud.
CNN - Bonta stated that the scheme exploited the Medi-Cal system and prevented care for those in need.
CNN - Bonta accused the Trump administration of politicizing the issue of hospice and medical fraud in an attempt to improve Trump’s approval rating.
CNN - Bonta accused the Trump administration of politicizing the issue of hospice and medical fraud in an attempt to improve Trump’s approval rating.
ABC News - The investigation was initiated after the Department of Health Care Services notified state prosecutors of potential fraud.
CNN - The investigation was initiated after receiving a tip regarding alleged hospice fraud.
CNN - Bonta stated that the scheme exploited the Medi-Cal system and prevented care for those in need.
HOW:
Fox News - The suspects created fake records and used fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
Fox News - The suspects used "straw owners" to buy hospice companies and began billing Medi-Cal for services never provided to stolen identities.
Fox News - The money was laundered through a complex web of over 130 shell companies and hidden across bank accounts, payment apps, and cryptocurrency to evade detection.
CNN - The scheme involved purchasing personal identifying information on the dark web and enrolling out-of-state residents into California's hospice care system.
Fox News - The suspects created fake records and used fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
Fox News - The suspects created fake records and used fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
Fox News - The suspects used "straw owners" to buy hospice companies and began billing Medi-Cal for services never provided to stolen identities.
Fox News - The money was laundered through a complex web of over 130 shell companies and hidden across bank accounts, payment apps, and cryptocurrency to evade detection.
CNN - The scheme involved purchasing personal identifying information on the dark web and enrolling out-of-state residents into California's hospice care system.
Fox News - The suspects created fake records and used fraudulent diagnoses to justify claims to Medi-Cal.
(UPDATED April 10, 2026 15:19 UTC)
California officials announced that a hospice fraud scheme has been uncovered, involving over $267 million in fraudulent claims for services that were never provided. Five individuals have been arrested and more than 20 people charged in connection with this operation, which utilized fake records, nonexistent offices, and shell companies to exploit the Medi-Cal system. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that if found guilty, those charged could face up to 16 years in prison, while the investigation, named "Operation Skip Trace," has already recovered over $1.5 billion from similar fraud cases in the past decade.
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(UPDATED April 10, 2026 09:20 UTC)
California officials have announced a major hospice fraud scheme involving over $267 million in fraudulent claims for services that were never provided. The investigation revealed that the suspects created fake records, nonexistent offices, and fraudulent diagnoses to justify these claims to Medi-Cal, leading to charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. Attorney General Rob Bonta has accused the Trump administration of politicizing the issue of hospice and medical fraud to boost Trump's approval rating.
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(UPDATED April 10, 2026 07:22 UTC)
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that the state's Department of Justice has recovered over $1.5 billion from civil and criminal Medi-Cal fraud cases over the past decade. He also revealed that those charged could face up to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft, among other serious offenses. Bonta accused the Trump administration of politicizing hospice and medical fraud issues to boost Trump's approval ratings, while the suspects allegedly used "straw owners" to acquire hospice companies and billed Medi-Cal for services that were never provided.
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(UPDATED April 10, 2026 01:23 UTC)
A significant investigation has revealed a network of shell companies that were buying personal identifying information on the dark web and enrolling out-of-state residents into California’s hospice care system. The suspects are facing serious charges including conspiracy to commit health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft, all stemming from fraudulent claims made to Medi-Cal using fake records and nonexistent offices. This probe was launched after the Department of Health Care Services alerted state prosecutors about potential fraud, with the illicit funds being laundered through a complex web of over 130 shell companies and various financial platforms to avoid detection.
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(UPDATED April 9, 2026 23:15 UTC)
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Thursday that five individuals have been arrested as part of a hospice fraud scheme that has allegedly defrauded the state of over $267 million. The investigation, named "Operation Skip Trace," has led to more than 20 people being charged and involved the use of over 130 shell companies to launder money while billing Medi-Cal for services that were never provided. This operation was initiated after a tip-off regarding the fraudulent activities, which exploited the Medi-Cal system and ultimately hindered care for those in need.