Being under investigation for anything is disorienting and often frightening. Those feelings are often even worse when you do not know who is investigating you — or why.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force could refer to one of several multi-agency organizations. There are teams across the nation that use inter-agency cooperation and data analytics to identify potential abuses of the Medicare program. If you have had any interactions at all with this task force, please understand that your future could be at risk.
Powerful organizations
The main agency behind these strike forces is the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Therefore, you might see “OIG” on the back of agents’ jackets.
The teams also operate in partnership with several other government organizations. These include:
- The FBI
- States’ attorney’s offices
- The DOJ
- Local police departments
Everyone working for these groups has a singular goal, which is to identify, arrest and convict suspected Medicare defrauders. They work together to analyze data, freeze accounts and detain suspects.
Compromised rights
Please do not speak to agents of these organizations in any capacity whatsoever without understanding the full legal context of your statements or your relationship to their investigations. They are often under little obligation to tell you the truth and may use various tactics to lead you to self-incrimination.
For example, a representative could contact to you asking for help with an investigation. This could be a ploy to make you surrender statements that could implicate you in the very crimes that you are trying to help them solve.
Real solutions
There is no universal solution to dealing with a strike force investigation or arrest. However, there are usually ways to protect your rights to the greatest extent possible and achieve the best reasonable outcome, given the evidence in your case. These agencies collect massive amounts of information and have significant power, but your rights still matter.
