Governor Hochul Announces Completion of New ‘Cataract Stairs’ at Niagara Falls State Park

Former ‘Crow’s Nest’ Rebuilt, Expanded and Renamed

New Experience Offers Visitors a Powerful Location to Get Offline, Get Outside

$12 Million Project Improves Safety and Enhances the Maid of the Mist Experience

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completion of the Cataract Stairs and Overlook – a new stairway and overlook structure at Niagara Falls State Park formally known as the Crow’s Nest. Located alongside the American Falls, the Cataract Stairs allow visitors to climb next to the Falls and experience breathtaking, up-close views for a one-of-a-kind experience of one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders.

“The Cataract Stairs are a magnificent addition to Niagara Falls State Park,” Governor Hochul said. “The ability to stand so close to the American Falls is sure to bring more visitors to the park and leave even more lasting memories. This is the perfect place to ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ and experience the incredible power and beauty of this wonder.”

The $12 million expansion project added 163 new stairs to the existing staircase, creating a total of 274 stairs top to bottom. The project also includes a new overlook located within 35 feet of the American Falls, offering visitors an extraordinary new vantage point with the Niagara Gorge. Rising approximately 180 feet, the Cataract Stairs also provide a non-mechanical, alternate route out of the Niagara Gorge, enhancing visitor circulation and safety. During a portion of the off-season, the stairs will provide two-way access to the overlook.

As part of the project, the former partial stairway known as the ‘Crow’s Nest’ has been renamed the ‘Cataract Stairs and Overlook’, a name that reflects its dramatic location alongside the mighty Niagara Falls.

Work was performed by Mark Cerrone Inc. and was funded by OPRHP capital funds, The Maid of the Mist Corporation, The Niagara River Greenway and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. 

Homeland Security Task Force Yields 30 Year Prison Sentence for Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Leader

 

Celso Navarro Diaz (65, Colombia) has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to traffic more than five kilograms of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States. A federal jury found Navarro Diaz guilty on January 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to testimony and evidence presented during the five-day trial, Navarro Diaz was the head of an organization in Colombia that transported cocaine and marijuana from the Pacific coast of Colombia to Costa Rica. Over a two-year period, Panamanian, Colombian, and U.S. Coast Guard authorities interdicted four of his organization’s vessels. The investigation revealed that Navarro Diaz discussed the smuggling operations in heavily coded language and had talked about the seizures in coded language after three of the events. The cocaine was intended to be smuggled from Costa Rica through Central America and Mexico prior to importation into the United States. Navarro Diaz was previously convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and pleaded guilty to that offense in 2010, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Colombian National Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and September 2024 extradition from Colombia of Navarro Diaz. 

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case

 

An Ohio corporation pleaded guilty in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of negligent endangerment. The criminal charge is related to an explosion that resulted in the death of one employee and injuries to several more. 

Yenkin Majestic Paint Corporation operated a coatings and resin manufacturing facility in Columbus. As part of the resin manufacturing process, Yenkin would heat ingredients in large steel vessels known as “kettles.” In 2020 Yenkin decided to fabricate and install a new door, known as a “manway” on the top of Kettle 3. Working in conjunction with a local fabrication company, Yenkin installed the new manway in December 2020. Despite several examples of Kettle 3 seeing high pressure spikes, Yenkin never pressure tested the new manway before placing it back in service. Once installed, it immediately began leaking. Nevertheless, Yenkin continued to utilize Kettle #3, opting instead to add a thicker gasket, which Yenkin erroneously believed to be made of Teflon (but was actually silicone). 

On April 8, 2021, Yenkin was in the process of producing a resin in Kettle #3. Unbeknownst to the operator, the agitator inside Kettle 3 had stopped, likely due to electrical work Yenkin was conducting at the time. Around midnight, the operator turned the agitator back on, causing the contents to vaporize and increasing the pressure inside the kettle. Moments later, Kettle 3’s closed manway and gasket could no longer contain the pressure and began to release a mixture of hot resin liquid and flammable solvent vapor into the resin plant and then into adjacent operating areas of the plant. 

Multiple flammable gas detectors inside the facility started detecting an increasing concentration of flammable vapors during the release. However, the flammable gas detectors were not configured to sound an audible alarm. At 12:04 a.m., the released flammable vapors found an ignition source and exploded, which led to the death of one employee and severe injuries to several others. The explosion also damaged the resin plant and nearby structures.

“When safety protocols aren’t followed, pressurized equipment can cause terrible accidents like the tragedy at Yenkin in 2021,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The company is pleading guilty to negligent endangerment, because their actions, or inactions, created a manufacturing environment that resulted in death and severe injury. Our hope in highlighting this case is that other manufacturers will vigilantly protect the safety of their workers and properly operate their equipment.”

“Companies that use hazardous chemicals have a responsibility to prevent releases that put people in danger of death and serious bodily injury,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The resulting incident caused a tragic loss of life, injuries, and property damage. EPA will continue to hold companies accountable when they put workers and the public at risk by ignoring basic safety and emergency procedures.”

“Employees deserve to be protected from danger in the workplace – and we will hold companies accountable to that obligation,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “This tragic circumstance serves as a stark reminder to all manufacturers that safety requirements must be followed.”

“Companies have an obligation to protect their workers,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. “Yenkin failed to keep its employees safe, and as a result, one person died and several others were injured. This guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for Yenkin’s failures.”

“This devastating incident underscores the serious consequences of why environmental safeguards and proper operating procedures matter,” said Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director John Logue. “Ohio EPA remains committed to protecting Ohio’s communities and natural resources and holding regulated facilities accountable for meeting their environmental obligations.” 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Special Investigations Unit, with support from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

COIB Settlements Announced

 

The New York City Conflicts of Interest Board (the “Board”) announces two settlements.

Misuse of City Time. A Sanitation Worker at the New York City Department of Sanitation (“DSNY”) also worked for a private delivery company. On 80 days, he reported working simultaneously at DSNY and at the delivery company, resulting in 67 hours and 52 minutes of overlapping time. To resolve his misuse of City time, the now-former Sanitation Worker agreed to pay a $3,500 fine. The Disposition is attached as “COIB Disposition (DSNY).”

 

Post-Employment Appearance Ban. A former Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of Maternal, Infant & Reproductive Health at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (“DOHMH”) communicated on two occasions with her former agency on behalf of her new employer, the Good+ Foundation, within two months of leaving City service. In doing so, she violated the post-employment appearance ban, which prohibits most public servants from communicating, for compensation, with their former City agency for one year after leaving City service. To resolve her violations, the former Assistant Commissioner agreed to pay a $1,200 fine. The Disposition is attached as “COIB Disposition (DOHMH).”

Biweekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

 

SENATOR RIVERA JOINS LATINO DEMS FOR A COMMUNITY FIELD DAY!

Last month, the Latino Dems hosted their first Community Field Day St. James Park in partnership with Senator Rivera, Assembly Member Yudelka Tapia, and Council Member Pierina Sanchez. The event included a series of community soccer matches and provided fresh produce and non-perishable goods. Organizations like Theory 9, Hands Off NYC, CUNY Citizenship Now, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), Neighborhood Association-Inter-Cultural Affairs (NAICA), and the Dominican Bar Association were also in attendance to share information and valuable resources!

MOST RECENT INTERN CYCLE AT SENATOR RIVERA'S OFFICE!

Senator Rivera and his staff commend the interns from the most recent cycle for their hard work, growth, and leadership. They helped the team prepare for back-to-school pop-ups throughout the district, the main event held at St. James Park earlier in August, and backpack distributions to local organizations. They also provided valuable support with constituent services, media, and administrative tasks in the office. The team wishes them success during the fall semester!

SENATOR RIVERA JOINS THE INSTITUTE FOR FAMILY HEALTH'S COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR

Thank you to the Institute for Family Health for inviting Senator Rivera to its annual Community Health Fair at the Walton Family Health Center, where constituents received valuable health and wellness resources. Senator Rivera was also available to speak with constituents about healthcare and policy.

Throughout the month of August, Senator Rivera distributed hundreds of bookbags and school supplies at a series of Back-to-School pop-up events for families across his district, by hosting and supporting several Back-to-School giveaway events organized by local community organizations.

Back-to-School event at Tracey Towers hosted by Ms. Jean Hill, alongside congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier.

Bookbag distribution during the farmers market organized by the Riverdale Neighborhood House.

Giveaway organized by the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association.

Giveaway during the Ryer Youth Sports & Enrichment (RYSE) Basketball Tournament.

Team Rivera joins Fordham University during their 5th Annual Back-to-School celebration and backpack distribution!

Senator Rivera is honored to be recognized in Environmental Advocates NY’s 2026 Environmental Scorecard and to rank among the top 10% of state legislators who fought for environmental priorities this past session. His bill, S6892A, the Lead Pipe Replacement Act, would establish a statewide plan to replace New York’s lead service lines by 2037 and help protect our drinking water.

Check out EANY Scorecard!

TUESDAY 9/8: JOIN SENATOR RIVERA AT HIS BACK TO SCHOOL POP-UP GIVEAWAY IN VAN NEST PARK!

9/17: NEW YORK HEALTH ACT 101 WITH NYC DSA HEALTHCARE WORKING GROUP!

DEADLINE 9/10: UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY FELLOWSHIP 2026-27

The New York Metro Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP NY Metro) is pleased to announce that applications are now open for our Universal Healthcare Legislative Advocacy Fellowship (UHLAF) 2026-2027 session. This fellowship is designed to engage health workers, students, and advocates who are interested in participating in healthcare reform advocacy. The curriculum is structured to cultivate practical skills that are not only valuable for advocating for the NY Health Act - New York’s state-level single-payer bill - but are also readily transferable to other advocacy campaigns and organizing work. This fellowship runs as a cohort, so we ask people to commit to attending all (or most) of the sessions. We value being able to build community between participants and with PNHP NY Metro members during this fellowship to strengthen our clarity, competence, connection, and commitment together for health justice. The fellowship will run from October 2026 through April 2027 via Zoom. Monthly sessions are generally on the first Thursday of each month, from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. Topics range from Albany’s legislative structure and politics to relational organizing and storytelling skills. The sessions will incorporate presentation, group discussion, work in small groups and in-session homework review. Participants are expected to contribute approximately 5 hours per month from October to April, with a slight increase in March in preparation for Lobby Day and its aftermath.  For Lobby Day, participants will focus on key districts across New York state and will be responsible for researching, preparing and coordinating a planning meeting with lobby team participants for a lobby meeting with a legislator. Lobby Day date is TBA (usually in mid-to-late March) and is in-person in Albany. It will include the NY Health Act and a slate of additional health justice related legislation. Tentative Session Schedule, all sessions are via Zoom 10/8/26 7:30-9:30pm 10/22/26 7:30pm-8:30pm 11/5/26 7:30pm-9:00pm 12/3/26 7:30pm-9:00pm 1/7/27 7:30pm-9:00pm 1/21/27 7:30pm-8:30pm 2/4/27 7:30pm-9:00pm 2/18/27 7:30pm-8:30pm 2/25/27 7:30pm-8:30pm TBD Two March Dates* 4/8/27 7:30pm-9:00pm In between sessions, there may be optional Study Group Hours - an open one-hour space for the cohort to discuss, process, and build community - perhaps akin to office hours or small group discussion. These will be informal - for example, you can talk about items that have been “bike racked” during sessions, connect with other individual members, role play with your team before Lobby Day, lead a workshop session of your own making. The director or other mentors will be available at these gatherings. We welcome students, health workers, and a broad variety of health justice advocates from across New York to apply, as we strive to create an interdisciplinary, diverse cohort. Any questions about the fellowship or this application can be directed to YuLing Koh Hsu, Director of the Universal Healthcare Legislative Advocacy Fellowship: yuling@pnhpnymetro.org. Acceptance announcements will be emailed on Wednesday September 23, 2026.

Apply Here!

DEADLINE 9/14: WEST BRONX COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP - APPLY NOW!

Now in its third year, The We Are The Bronx Fellowship Against Hate (WATBFAH) is more than a professional development opportunity — it’s a call to action and an opportunity to learn, connect and lead. Organized by Riverdale Y in partnership with JCRC-NY, the Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (as part of the PATH-Forward initiative), and the offices of Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz and Councilmember Eric Dinowitz, this fellowship is designed for those who are ready to lead with purpose, courage, and collaboration. Why Apply? This transformative fellowship brings together a diverse cohort of mid- to senior-level leaders from Bronx-based nonprofits, faith communities, and government agencies — people who are on the front lines in their neighborhoods and communities.  Through a series of dynamic workshops, inspiring speakers, interactive site visits, and a powerful overnight journey to Washington, DC, fellows will gain tools, strategies, and relationships that amplify their impact. Each session will spotlight a different Bronx neighborhood, and a different community that calls the Bronx home, ensuring participants experience the borough’s full richness and complexity — all locations will be accessible via public transit. Participants will also have access to seed funding to design and launch a community-focused initiative that fosters unity, addresses bias, and creates real change across communities that is organized by all of the fellows, together.

Sign-up for Fellowship

Application Timeline Applications Open: Monday, August 17, 2026 Applications Due: Friday, December 11, 2026 Rolling Interviews: December 14–17, 2026 Acceptance Letters Sent: Friday, December 18, 2026

Release of Body Worn Camera Footage from an Officer Involved Shooting that Occurred on August 16, 2026 in the confines of the 7th Precinct

 

The NYPD is releasing body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred on August 16, 2026, in the confines of the 7th Precinct.

The video includes available evidence leading up to the incident as well as during the incident. The NYPD is releasing this video for clear viewing of the totality of the incident.

You can find the video here 

Comptroller Levine Unveils 2026 Edition of the Employer Violations Dashboard Tracking Companies Violating Key Labor Laws

Dashboard Released Ahead of Labor Day Highlights Employers with Worst Violations of Workers' Rights in 2025  

The Office of New York City Comptroller Mark Levine released the 2026 edition of the Employer Violations Dashboard – a tool that consolidates data from federal, state, and city enforcement agencies – to identify employers who violated key labor laws across the five boroughs.  

Launched on Labor Day in 2024 and updated annually, the Comptroller’s Employer Violations Dashboard tracks private employers’ violations of a range of workplace laws, including health and safety violations, wage theft, prevailing wage violations, illegal interference with unionization efforts, and discrimination and harassment.  

“New York City has a rich history in the labor movement to secure hard-fought rights,” said Comptroller Mark Levine. “The Employer Violations Dashboard is an essential tool to hold bad actors accountable and help working New Yorkers understand who does or does not foster a healthy work environment.”  

The Comptroller’s Bureau of Labor Law compiles labor violations investigated by government agencies and provides detailed information on offenses committed by private sector employers, including some contracted by public entities, within New York City between 2024-2025. The information can be searched by violation or by employer, and the full dataset is available for download. 

The Employer Violations Dashboard most notably highlights employers with the most frequent and severe violations. Last year, employers cited for being the worst in New York City for violating federal, state, and city laws included Starbucks, Amazon, Door Dash, among others (Listed alphabetically): 

Alba Services, Inc., a company specializing in demolition and carting that along with its owner and affiliates, entered into a $1.5 million settlement with the New York State Office of the Attorney General for nearly a decade of worker exploitation and abuse affecting over 700 employees.  

Amazon had the highest number of open Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) claims for the full period encompassed by the Dashboard, from 2020 to 2025. The e-commerce company had 197 alleged ULPs in 75 open cases, including scores of allegations of illegal interference in union organizing. 

Americare, a licensed home care services agency, had the largest wage and hour legal settlement with the Attorney General’s Office last year, paying $45 million to more than 10,000 current and former employees.  Americare failed to pay home health aides the full compensation they were entitled to over a six-year period under the New York State Wage Parity Act. 

Champion Electrical Mechanical Builder Corp. reached a settlement with the Comptroller’s Office for failure to pay prevailing wages to six workers on public work construction projects and for falsifying payroll records. The settlement totaled $295,901.08, including interest and civil penalties, and the contractor is barred from bidding on or being awarded public works contracts with the City of New York for five years. 

Door Dash had the largest state-level settlement for deceptive tipping practices after its $16.75 million agreement with the Attorney General’s Office. An investigation found that DoorDash used customer tips to offset the base pay it had guaranteed to its delivery drivers.  

Fresh & Co. was ordered by the New York City Commission on Human Rights to pay a worker $45,000, plus an additional $60,000 in civil penalties, for failing to prevent sexual harassment at one of the locations. In this case, the worker had been routinely verbally and sexually harassed by a staff member in a supervisory role. 

INS Handbags, Inc. and its owner paid more than $200,000 to a former employee after the Commission on Human Rights determined it forced the pregnant worker into a less safe retail location over her objections, wrongfully terminated her because of her pregnancy, and failed to distribute legally mandated notices regarding workplace rights. 

JAB Industries Inc., a construction company that works on both commercial and residential properties, failed to address an excavation hazard on a construction site in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick, leading them, in 2025, to receive the two most severe violations for workplace safety tracked in the Dashboard – one violation from the federal government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the other from the New York City Department of Buildings.  

Starbucks was required to pay $38.9 million in restitution and civil penalties to over 15,000 workers for violations of the Fair Workweek Law in what became last year’s largest settlement with the New York City Department Consumer and Worker Protection. The coffee company was noncompliant with many aspects of the Fair Workweek Law, including not providing its employees at more than 300 locations with stable and predictable schedules, not giving employees the opportunity to pick up additional hours, and failing to  state a performance-related reason when shifts were reduced by 15%. Last year, Starbucks also had three violations in two closed ULP cases related to bad faith bargaining and illegal discharge of workers.

You can view the Employer Violations Dashboard here: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/services/for-the-public/employer-violations-dashboard/about-the-dashboard/

Illegal Alien from Georgia Charged for Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of $1.3B Health Care Fraud Scheme

A federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts returned an indictment charging Erekle Gugava, 33, an illegal alien from Georgia, with conspiracy for laundering proceeds in connection with a $1.3 billion health care fraud scheme.

According to court documents, Gugava was a money launderer for the transnational criminal organization (the Organization) responsible for the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, as uncovered by Operation Gold Rush. The Organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit, and steal from Medicare and other health insurers

“Fraud networks cannot function without people willing to launder and transmit their proceeds — and deterring those facilitators is essential to safeguarding taxpayer resources,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “As alleged in this indictment, Gugava allegedly helped facilitate a massive fraud on the American people by moving stolen proceeds through domestic and international financial channels. This indictment reflects our resolve to hold all participants in fraud networks accountable for their conduct.”

As alleged in charging documents, Gugava purportedly owned ND Medical Solutions LLC (ND Medical), a durable medical equipment (DME) company located in Pennsylvania, between February and July 2025. During the limited five-month span of Gugava’s purported ownership, ND Medical submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent DME claims to Medicare, private health insurance companies that contracted to provide Medicare supplemental insurance policies, private employer-sponsored plans, and other insurers. These insurers paid ND Medical approximately $6.5 million.

As part of the scheme, Gugava facilitated the deposit and transfer of fraud proceeds. Among other things, he opened several bank accounts in the name of ND Medical — for which he was the sole signatory — and deposited checks from Medicare supplemental insurers and other health insurers into the ND Medical bank accounts. The funds were then ultimately transferred to various overseas bank accounts for the benefit of the Organization.

As alleged in charging documents, the fraudulent claims relied, in part, on the stolen identities of citizens from Massachusetts, across New England, and throughout the United States to justify the fraudulent billings. Many of these individuals, including elderly and disabled Americans, reported their concerns to Medicare and its contractors after receiving explanation of benefit forms that reflected them purportedly receiving DME that they did not in fact receive, that was purportedly prescribed by doctors whom they had never visited, and purportedly delivered from ND Medical — a DME company with which they were unfamiliar.

As further alleged, the Organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources — Medicare and established private insurance carriers — giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy. 

Banking Surveillance Image of Gugava on Feb. 24, 2025, Related to ND Medical Bank Account Opening

Banking Surveillance Image of Gugava on June 9, 2025

Gugava is charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello; FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Boston Division Acting Inspector in Charge Justin Page; IRS Criminal Investigations Special Agent in Charge Thomas E. Demeo; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Grimming of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England; and U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) Regional Director Kelly M. Lawson made the announcement.

HHS-OIG, FBI, USPIS, IRS, HSI, and DOL-EBSA are investigating the case.

Deputy Chief Kevin Lowell, Assistant Deputy Chief Jim Hayes, and Trial Attorneys Tiffany Wynn and Sarah Rocha of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.