Matthew Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, joined by Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz, speaks at a press conference on June 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
One of the defendants, a nurse practitioner, applied the grafts to patients even though they were "medically unreasonable and unnecessary," the indictment said. The nurse allegedly applied them to terminally ill patients in hospice, including some who were days away from dying.
While that specific medical practice is typically non-invasive, Galeotti noted it was part of a $1 billion healthcare fraud scheme that stripped patients of "dignity and peace" in their final days.
"That conduct is exactly as callous and disturbing as it sounds," Galeotti said. "Patients and their families trusted these providers with their lives. Instead of receiving care, they became victims of elaborate criminal schemes."
One DOJ official said in response to a question from Fox News Digital that skin grafts were an "emerging area" of healthcare fraud, "especially given the significant amount of money that they can bill for sometimes in excess of $1,000 a square centimeter."
The healthcare fraud cases, all of which were shared publicly online, spanned the country and globe. Defendants included medical supply company owners and medical professionals, including 25 doctors.
TEXAS DOCTOR SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON IN ONE OF THE ‘MOST SIGNIFICANT’ CASES OF PATIENT HARM
The FBI announced that one scheme resulted in at least 20 members of a transnational criminal organization being charged. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
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Galeotti and Dr. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, also used the press conference to make a plea for more tips.
"We need your help, the American people," Oz said. "Why? Over half of the whistleblower tips that we get are for healthcare fraud and over half of the fraud against our government is in healthcare."
Ashley Oliver is a reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, covering the Justice Department and legal affairs. Email story tips to ashley.oliver@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/multibillion-dollar-healthcare-fraud-scheme-included-giving-people-unnecessary-skin-grafts-doj