Thirteen North Texans Charged in $365 Million Healthcare Fraud Targeting Veterans and the Elderly

A Massive Fraud Scheme Hits Close to Home

Federal prosecutors have charged 13 people in North Texas as part of a sweeping nationwide healthcare fraud crackdown involving billions of dollars in false claims. The charges, announced on Tuesday, June 23, paint a disturbing picture of alleged greed — with schemes that didn't just steal from government programs, but directly exploited some of the most vulnerable people in society: elderly Medicare beneficiaries and active-duty military members.

The U.S. Attorney's Office announced healthcare fraud charges against the 13 people in the Northern District of Texas across seven different cases, with federal prosecutors saying the defendants face charges involving Medicare, TRICARE, and $365 million in alleged fraud. Federal officials say they've seized more than $35 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets connected to the North Texas cases alone.

Who Was Charged and What They're Accused Of

Prosecutors say Kevin Curry, a 63-year-old Frisco resident, ran a scheme through his company, Acuity TMS, billing TRICARE for treatments that were never provided, medically unnecessary, or tied to illegal kickbacks. He faces charges of health care fraud, paying and receiving kickbacks, and money laundering, with nearly $27 million billed and approximately $17 million paid. Seized assets include cash and a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck, which investigators say was purchased with fraudulent proceeds.

Investigators also say two doctors — Dr. Olubayo Idowu, 75, of DeSoto, and Dr. James Carlisle Jr., 53, of Southlake — worked with nurse practitioner Vaughn Brozek, 56, of Hurst, to order unnecessary brain wave tests in exchange for kickbacks. U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said the defendants in some of these cases "diverted funds intended to serve vulnerable populations, including those folks who are elderly Medicare beneficiaries and members of the military, to line their own pockets."

Part of a Record-Breaking National Effort

The Justice Department's 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. The takedown spans cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating — the most in Department history.

To combat healthcare fraud, officials from the Justice and Health departments say they are leveraging artificial intelligence and using data analytics and financial intelligence to follow money flows and seize assets. The use of new fraud detection tools has resulted in 1,000 Medicare payment suspensions in the first half of 2026 — a 500% increase compared with last year. The message from Washington was blunt: "There is no case too big, no scheme too complex, and no hiding place too remote," said Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, adding, "if you put profit over patients, you should expect to be put in prison."

What This Means for Taxpayers and Patients

The North Texas crackdown comes amid a federal initiative called The Texas Strike Force, based in Houston and Dallas, specifically designed to identify and prosecute healthcare fraud. The initiative signals that federal authorities are no longer treating healthcare fraud as a low-priority white-collar crime. These weren't faceless bureaucratic thefts — in some cases, prosecutors allege schemes that preyed on patients' fears, with one doctor charged for administering unnecessary tests to athletes concerned about sudden cardiac arrest. In one case, a patient whose results were falsely certified as normal later died after significant heart problems went undetected.

Federal officials say the takedown also led to hundreds of provider suspensions nationwide and the seizure of more than $182 million in assets, and investigations remain ongoing. With the Texas Strike Force deepening its footprint in the region and AI-driven detection tools catching fraud faster than ever, North Texas residents can expect this to be far from the last wave of arrests. The era of gaming Medicare and TRICARE with impunity appears to be rapidly coming to an end.