PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Today, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced criminal charges against two defendants in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud the United States Department of Agriculture. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from the two defendants exchanging Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamp, benefits for cash, allowing certain beneficiary recipients to use this cash to purchase illegal controlled substances.“Giving customers cash for their SNAP benefits is against the law and violates the clear rules and regulations of a program designed to provide nutritional assistance to families in need,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute individuals who attempt to take advantage of both recipients and taxpayers by compromising the integrity of important public health programs and illegally trafficking SNAP and other government benefits.”The charges announced today by United States Attorney Rivetti are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that 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. Today’s Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: 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. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.Today’s coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:• Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.• 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.• Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.• 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.The following individuals were charged in the Western District of Pennsylvania:Abdou Jallow, 55, and Alicia Mastrantoni, 39, both of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were charged by Criminal Complaint with food stamp fraud in connection with exchanging SNAP benefits for cash…
Source: U.S. Department of Justice