Gang Charged with Fraud 美国指控医疗诈骗团伙

Most of the accused were arrested in New York City and Los Angeles

媒体英语会带大家一起学习BBC撰稿人在报道世界大事时常用到的单词和短语。

Background:美国官员对参与一起重大医疗诈骗案的73个人提出指控。据信这些人都和亚美尼亚黑手党有关联。

The indictments paint a picture of a far-reaching and powerful organised crime network, which prosecutors say "puts the traditional mafia to shame". Most of those accused are of Armenian family origin. They allegedly operated under the protection of Armen Kazarian, a man described as an elite organised crime boss, now in a Los Angeles jail.

The group is accused of setting up more than 100 phantom clinics spanning 25 American states, and then invoicing the government for treatment that never took place. Investigators uncovered evidence of US$ 163 million in false billing, which targeted Medicare, the federal insurance program for the elderly. Prosecutors say it's the largest ever Medicare fraud committed by a single criminal entity, adding that the whole doctor-patient relationship was a "mirage".

FBI agents arrested 52 people on Wednesday. A total of 73 alleged gang members have been charged with racketeering and related offences. The indictment says some of the proceeds from the operation were couriered back to Armenia in cash.