A composite posted to the Department of Justice's X account, June 4, 2026. (Department of Justice)
(WASHINGTON) -- Senior Justice Department leaders on Thursday announced a number of cases against those who they say perpetrated fraud in Ohio.
Four people, including two state of Ohio employees, were charged with a $30 million fraud scheme targeting the state's behavioral health department.
Two of the defendants owned businesses which claimed to provide behavioral health services for young adults that attend summer camps, church groups and recreational programs, according to the Justice Department.
The Justice Department alleges the two businesses submitted fraudulent claims for services that were never rendered. After the claims were not submitted because one of the behavioral health organizations' accreditation was invalid, the two allegedly conspired with another individual to submit claims.
The funds were used to fund a lavish lifestyle, according to DOJ, including purchasing 14 vehicles worth $800,000.
"The days of the brazen theft that we've seen of taxpayer dollars, abusing the generosity of the American taxpayer is over," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a press conference in Columbus, Ohio. "Our message to fraudsters is simple: With our state and local partners, the Department of Justice will be working day and night to identify you, arrest you and imprison you."
Blanche and other federal leaders, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, were in Ohio to not only announce charges against alleged fraudsters, but to also announce a Top 10 fraudsters list and tout the cooperation between Ohio authorities and the federal government on fraud issues.
"Our best form of information is the American public," Patel said. "Take a look at this Top 10 most wanted. Let us know any information. There is no bad piece of information. The only bad piece of information is the one you don't give us."
Earlier this week, the Justice Department charged five individuals with scamming older Americans in romance fraud schemes totaling $15 million. The five -- mostly from Ghana -- allegedly used AI to create false stories and indicate to people they were interested in them romantically to get them to send them money.
"Once they establish trust, they use false pretenses and stories about vast inheritances of money, gold, or diamonds, and then convince these elderly Americans to help finance bogus legal proceedings in the nation of Ghana," U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio David M. Toepfer said at the press conference.
The scheme allegedly went on for almost two years and impacted more than 100 people.
"They then use this stolen money to buy a mansion in Ghana. Diamond-encrusted jewelry, a Lamborghini and other high-end luxury vehicles. All of those assets have now been seized and are going through the forfeiture proceedings so that they will not profit from their fraudulent efforts," Toepfer said.
(SAN FRANCISCO) -- When the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots suit up on Sunday, they will have some of the best players in the world keeping them safe -- the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) bomb-sniffing dogs.
There will be two K9s, Carolina and Belle, that will be patrolling the Super Bowl, which are both black Labrador retrievers. Additionally, there are more than five other bomb-sniffing dogs that are in the Bay Area to keep the game safe.
Dogs like Carolina and Belle go through an intensive 24-week training to include obedience, training, bomb detection training, and “advanced training” with their handlers so they can respond to “complex” situations. They are two of 16 dog teams in the Bay Area.
"Our canines are vital to keeping security for Super Bowl and the corresponding events,” Alex Buenaventura, ATF deputy special agent in charge of the San Francisco field division, told ABC News. "They’re able to detect explosives, and through their rigorous training, they're very reliable in finding and locating explosives, firearms and ammunition.”
Belle is based in San Francisco, while Carolina is based in Las Vegas.
ATF is on site along with other federal law enforcement agencies in the Bay Area to help secure the game, and other Super Bowl-related events and will do over 200 searches both in Santa Clara and downtown San Francisco.
The agency is not only providing highly trained dogs but also field intelligence and fire response, according to Buenaventura.
“The response required for events such as the Super Bowl is complex and requires partnerships with our law enforcement agencies on the local, state and federal level, and ATF is proud to respond and provide our expertise,” she said.
ATF and other federal law enforcement agencies have been preparing for over a year to work together to secure the game.
"ATF will continue to respond to national special security events and do our part,” she said. "We’re happy to be here."
Alleged Ohio fraudsters filed false health claims, purchased luxury cars
Posted/updated on:
June 4, 2026 at
4:27 pm
A composite posted to the Department of Justice's X account, June 4, 2026. (Department of Justice)
(WASHINGTON) -- Senior Justice Department leaders on Thursday announced a number of cases against those who they say perpetrated fraud in Ohio.
Four people, including two state of Ohio employees, were charged with a $30 million fraud scheme targeting the state's behavioral health department.
Two of the defendants owned businesses which claimed to provide behavioral health services for young adults that attend summer camps, church groups and recreational programs, according to the Justice Department.
The Justice Department alleges the two businesses submitted fraudulent claims for services that were never rendered. After the claims were not submitted because one of the behavioral health organizations' accreditation was invalid, the two allegedly conspired with another individual to submit claims.
The funds were used to fund a lavish lifestyle, according to DOJ, including purchasing 14 vehicles worth $800,000.
"The days of the brazen theft that we've seen of taxpayer dollars, abusing the generosity of the American taxpayer is over," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a press conference in Columbus, Ohio. "Our message to fraudsters is simple: With our state and local partners, the Department of Justice will be working day and night to identify you, arrest you and imprison you."
Blanche and other federal leaders, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, were in Ohio to not only announce charges against alleged fraudsters, but to also announce a Top 10 fraudsters list and tout the cooperation between Ohio authorities and the federal government on fraud issues.
"Our best form of information is the American public," Patel said. "Take a look at this Top 10 most wanted. Let us know any information. There is no bad piece of information. The only bad piece of information is the one you don't give us."
Earlier this week, the Justice Department charged five individuals with scamming older Americans in romance fraud schemes totaling $15 million. The five -- mostly from Ghana -- allegedly used AI to create false stories and indicate to people they were interested in them romantically to get them to send them money.
"Once they establish trust, they use false pretenses and stories about vast inheritances of money, gold, or diamonds, and then convince these elderly Americans to help finance bogus legal proceedings in the nation of Ghana," U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio David M. Toepfer said at the press conference.
The scheme allegedly went on for almost two years and impacted more than 100 people.
"They then use this stolen money to buy a mansion in Ghana. Diamond-encrusted jewelry, a Lamborghini and other high-end luxury vehicles. All of those assets have now been seized and are going through the forfeiture proceedings so that they will not profit from their fraudulent efforts," Toepfer said.
Federal law enforcement’s bomb-sniffing dogs are helping to secure Super Bowl
Posted/updated on:
February 14, 2026 at
5:08 am
ABC News
(SAN FRANCISCO) -- When the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots suit up on Sunday, they will have some of the best players in the world keeping them safe -- the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) bomb-sniffing dogs.
There will be two K9s, Carolina and Belle, that will be patrolling the Super Bowl, which are both black Labrador retrievers. Additionally, there are more than five other bomb-sniffing dogs that are in the Bay Area to keep the game safe.
Dogs like Carolina and Belle go through an intensive 24-week training to include obedience, training, bomb detection training, and “advanced training” with their handlers so they can respond to “complex” situations. They are two of 16 dog teams in the Bay Area.
"Our canines are vital to keeping security for Super Bowl and the corresponding events,” Alex Buenaventura, ATF deputy special agent in charge of the San Francisco field division, told ABC News. "They’re able to detect explosives, and through their rigorous training, they're very reliable in finding and locating explosives, firearms and ammunition.”
Belle is based in San Francisco, while Carolina is based in Las Vegas.
ATF is on site along with other federal law enforcement agencies in the Bay Area to help secure the game, and other Super Bowl-related events and will do over 200 searches both in Santa Clara and downtown San Francisco.
The agency is not only providing highly trained dogs but also field intelligence and fire response, according to Buenaventura.
“The response required for events such as the Super Bowl is complex and requires partnerships with our law enforcement agencies on the local, state and federal level, and ATF is proud to respond and provide our expertise,” she said.
ATF and other federal law enforcement agencies have been preparing for over a year to work together to secure the game.
"ATF will continue to respond to national special security events and do our part,” she said. "We’re happy to be here."
