Healthcare fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1347 is a federal priority in Los Angeles one of the largest Medicare and Medicaid billing markets in the country. The FBI Los Angeles Field Office and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) aggressively pursue billing scheme investigations in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Conviction carries up to 10 years per count. Your defense begins at our Los Angeles office. The Bulldog Law defends doctors, clinic owners, billing companies, and healthcare executives facing federal fraud prosecution. Complex financial cases require complex defenses and we deliver both.
What 18 U.S.C. § 1347 Requires
18 U.S.C. § 1347 makes it a federal crime to knowingly execute a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including Medicare or Medicaid, or to obtain money or property from any healthcare benefit program by false pretenses.
Each fraudulent claim submitted constitutes a separate violation, each carrying up to 10 years in federal prison. If the fraud results in serious bodily injury, the maximum increases to 20 years. If it results in death, the maximum is life imprisonment.
Los Angeles is a major target for federal healthcare fraud prosecutions due to its high concentration of medical providers, outpatient clinics, and Medicare/Medicaid billing activity.
How The Bulldog Challenges FBI and HHS OIG Evidence
Healthcare fraud prosecutions are billing and records cases. We fight them with financial expertise and medical knowledge.
Intent is the central battleground. Billing errors, coding mistakes, and supervisory failures are not crimes they are compliance issues. The government must prove the defendant knowingly and intentionally submitted false claims. We build the narrative of good faith billing practice and organizational complexity that explains alleged discrepancies without criminal intent.
We retain medical billing compliance experts to evaluate whether alleged discrepancies reflect industry standard billing practices, administrative error, or documentation issues rather than fraud.
The government's loss calculation is routinely inflated. We challenge the attribution of all claimed losses to our client's specific conduct, particularly in multi provider or multi clinic investigations.
Search warrants for medical records must comply with HIPAA and Fourth Amendment requirements. We scrutinize every search for over breadth and constitutional defects.
What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Healthcare Fraud Arrest in Los Angeles
Federal healthcare fraud arrests often follow grand jury investigations lasting years. You may receive a target letter before arrest. If you do, contact The Bulldog Law immediately proactive engagement with prosecutors before indictment can sometimes produce dramatically better outcomes.
If arrested, you will be processed and transported to the MDC. Your initial appearance at the Central District Courthouse occurs within 24 hours. The government may seek an asset freeze concurrent with arrest.
Do not speak to FBI agents or HHS OIG investigators. Do not produce medical records or billing documents without counsel. Everything you provide voluntarily becomes evidence.
Civil vs. Criminal Healthcare Fraud Exposure
Federal healthcare fraud also triggers civil liability under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. § 3729), which imposes treble damages plus $13,000 to $26,000 per false claim. The Bulldog Law coordinates criminal and civil defense strategy to minimize total exposure across both proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the penalty for federal healthcare fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1347?
Each count carries up to 10 years in federal prison. If the fraud causes serious bodily injury, the maximum is 20 years. If it results in death, the maximum is life imprisonment.
What agencies investigate healthcare fraud in Los Angeles?
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office and the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) are the primary federal investigators of healthcare fraud in the Central District of California.
Can billing errors be used as a defense to healthcare fraud charges?
Yes. The government must prove knowing and intentional fraud. Billing errors, coding mistakes, and compliance failures can negate criminal intent and support a defense of good faith billing.
What is the False Claims Act and how does it relate to healthcare fraud?
The False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. § 3729) imposes civil liability treble damages plus per claim penalties for false claims to government programs. Civil and criminal exposure often run in parallel.
Can a healthcare provider avoid prosecution with a compliance defense?
Yes. Demonstrating robust compliance programs, internal audit procedures, and good faith billing practices can undermine the government's proof of knowing and intentional fraud.
Facing charges in Los Angeles? The Bulldog Law fights for you relentlessly, in state and federal court. Visit our blog for more resources.