New Division Continues Time-Tested Model: DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division Launches West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force
In another signal that health care fraud enforcement remains a top priority for DOJ, on April 30, 2026, the newly created National Fraud Enforcement Division (the “Fraud Division”) announced the launch of the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, a multi-district initiative targeting health care fraud across the District of Arizona, the District of Nevada, and the Northern District of California. This expansion is consistent with the time-tested model of Main Justice-based health care matters that has existed since 2007. Like its predecessor strike forces, the West Coast Strike Force will use dedicated agent and prosecutorial resources in the region to combat schemes identified based on data analytics and traditional law enforcement techniques. This announcement is independently notable because it makes clear that while the Health Care Fraud Unit—rebranded as the Health Care Section of the new Fraud Division—is no longer part of the Criminal Division, it will continue with the same career leadership and approach to enforcement: use of data to expand prosecutorial pipelines, solicitation of whistleblowers, and aggressive pursuit of corporate and individual prosecutions.
U.S. DOJ Shifts Focus in Digital Asset Enforcement
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ or Department) has announced a significant shift in enforcement priorities concerning digital assets. On April 7, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memorandum (Memorandum) announcing that the Department is not a “digital assets regulator” and will no longer pursue litigation or enforcement actions that “have the effect of superimposing regulatory frameworks on digital assets.” Instead, the Memorandum directs DOJ to focus on the prosecution of conduct that victimizes investors or uses digital assets in furtherance of crimes such as terrorism, narcotics trafficking, hacking, and human trafficking.

