Fifteen are charged in a $2 billion California medical fraud scheme that allegedly lured homeless addicts with free flights

At least six of the defendants are doctors, among them one alleged to have carried out needless operations requiring deep surgical intervention in order to submit Medicaid claims exceeding $130 million. Eight suspects have been taken into custody so far over fraud spanning substance abuse centres, hospices and medical practices across Southern California. During the raids, federal agents were filmed climbing the exterior of a wealthy doctor's sprawling mansion. Prosecutors place the total alleged proceeds at nearly $2 billion.

Colin M. McDonald, of the Justice Department: 'If you treat healthcare patients as dollar bills, we're coming for you.'

Addicts were allegedly transported to California by air and offered free groceries as inducements to occupy fraudulent drug-treatment beds.

The bust follows a $40 million food-stamp fraud crackdown announced by JD Vance and Todd Blanche.