Thirteen North Texans Charged in $365 Million Healthcare Fraud Crackdown

A Massive Fraud Operation Hits Close to Home

Federal prosecutors announced on June 23 that 13 people across North Texas have been charged as part of a sweeping national healthcare fraud operation — one of the largest in U.S. history. The seven cases across the Northern District of Texas represent more than $365 million in alleged fraudulent billing. The schemes targeted some of the most trusted safety-net programs in the country, including Medicare and TRICARE, the healthcare program for military service members and their families.

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 healthcare fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. North Texas was a significant piece of that puzzle, with investigators uncovering a web of deception that ranged from phony hospice billing to unnecessary brain wave tests ordered in exchange for cash kickbacks.

Schemes That Preyed on the Sick and Elderly

Investigators say two doctors — Dr. Olubayo Idowu, 75, of DeSoto, and Dr. James Carlisle Jr., 53, of Southlake — worked with nurse practitioner Vaughn Brozek, 56, to order unnecessary brain wave tests in exchange for kickbacks, resulting in more than $25 million in false Medicare claims. The scheme involved medically unnecessary EEG testing between 2020 and 2023.

One case involves the owner and CEO of a hospice provider in Garland who allegedly "recruited patients who were ineligible for hospice care and billed Medicare for services that were never provided." In another case, investigators say patient information was used to send COVID-19 test kits to people who didn't request them — including some who were deceased — and kickbacks were paid in return. Prosecutors say 25-year-old Neel Vivek Paithankar, an Irving resident, used telemarketers posing as Medicare representatives to push unnecessary medical equipment.

Authorities also seized more than $35 million in cash, vehicles, and other assets tied to the investigations. Among the more striking items recovered: a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck that investigators say was purchased with fraudulent proceeds.

A Coordinated Takedown With National Reach

The 2026 Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat healthcare fraud, spanning 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. The Northern District of Texas worked alongside the FBI, as well as the offices of inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Chad Gosch, special agent in charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, noted that fraud losses erode resources intended for vulnerable populations. "The overwhelming majority of healthcare providers who support our service members and their families do so honorably," he said. "Today's takedown shines a bright light on fraudulent schemes that have targeted Tricare for years. These are not victimless crimes. They threaten medical readiness. They undermine the trust in our military healthcare system, and they divert funds intended for legitimate care."

What Comes Next

The use of new fraud detection tools has resulted in 1,000 Medicare payment suspensions in the first half of 2026 alone — a 500% increase compared with last year. 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 message from federal prosecutors is clear: the tools being used to catch fraudsters are growing faster than the schemes themselves.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said fraud has never been "more rampant," and the need for enforcement has never been greater. "A lot of this is a focus thing, where we are seeing more and more fraud the more that we dig," he said. Raybould also said he hopes to bring these types of cases beyond Dallas and Fort Worth, noting that historically few healthcare fraud cases have been prosecuted in West Texas — something he wants to change. With investigations still ongoing and data analytics catching suspicious billing patterns faster than ever, this week's arrests in North Texas are likely just the opening chapter of a much longer story.