WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. authorities unveiled criminal charges against 35 individuals on Friday, as part of a sweeping crackdown into genetic testing fraud schemes that they said caused federal health insurance programs to lose more than $2.1 billion.
The Justice Department and Health and Human Services inspector general’s office said the alleged misconduct, which involved duping seniors into submitting cheek swabs for medically unnecessary genetic tests, represents one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes ever charged. It involves criminal cases against laboratory officials, telemedicine company operators and doctors.
Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch
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