COLUMBIA, S.C. — Republican attorneys general from multiple states joined senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday to announce a broad series of fraud enforcement actions across the Southeastern United States, highlighting new criminal cases, expanded state-federal cooperation, and the formation of additional anti-fraud task forces.
The announcement was made at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, where Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, and other federal and state officials outlined recent enforcement efforts targeting fraud involving government benefit programs and taxpayer-funded initiatives.
According to officials, the newly announced enforcement actions include 17 criminal cases across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Authorities said the investigations involve more than $350 million in intended losses linked to alleged fraud involving SNAP benefits, Small Business Administration loans, housing assistance programs, and tax-related schemes.
“Defeating the fraud epidemic in our country requires all-hands-on-deck from our federal and state partners nationwide,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Whether it’s sharing intelligence, data, personnel, or priorities, partnering with state agencies directly strengthens our ability to identify those stealing taxpayer dollars. When federal prosecutors work alongside state agencies to root out fraud, fraudsters lose, and the American people win.”
Federal officials said the latest actions reflect an expanding strategy focused on closer coordination between federal prosecutors, state attorneys general, and law enforcement agencies to detect and prosecute fraud affecting public programs.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced the creation of Joint Task Force Vigilance, a new partnership involving her office, two U.S. Attorneys, and the FBI that is intended to strengthen enforcement efforts within the state.
“President Trump has challenged all of us to step up our efforts to fight fraud and protect American taxpayers from this grift,” said Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “Partnerships like this one show that we are bringing everything to the table in this work. In that spirit, with the support of the U.S. Department of Justice, my office is standing up Joint Task Force Vigilance with our two U.S. Attorneys and the FBI to surge resources and personnel to make Mississippi safer, protect Mississippi taxpayers, and restore law and order. This first-of-its-kind task force will bring the full authority of our offices to bear on con artists, grifters, fraudsters, and scammers.”
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson highlighted previous collaborative investigations in his state, including efforts targeting Medicaid fraud and alleged employment-related fraud.
“Working alongside our federal and interstate partners, we are committed to combating fraud at every level. Our collaborative partnerships allowed us to uncover more than $20 million in Medicaid fraud claims during an operation known as Operation Border Wars,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “My office also recently indicted six individuals accused of defrauding taxpayers and stealing jobs from hardworking South Carolinians by providing counterfeit employment documents to illegal aliens. The rule of law means something in South Carolina, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle these schemes and prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent of the law.”
Other Republican attorneys general also pointed to recent enforcement efforts within their respective states while emphasizing the importance of cooperation with federal agencies.
“We appreciate the Trump Administration’s commitment to rooting out fraud in government healthcare programs, including the creation of a dedicated state-federal partnership to lead this fight. Thanks to the Administration’s serious commitment to ending waste, fraud, and abuse, we now have the tools and coordination needed to identify bad actors and hold them accountable. Together, we are protecting the integrity of Medicaid and the taxpayer dollars that fund it,” said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said her office has increased enforcement activity since she took office.
“With the help of the Trump administration, the states are fighting back against benefits fraud. Since taking office, my administration has secured more than 100 convictions and $73 million in court-ordered restitution. Under the leadership of Acting Attorney General Blanche, Director Patel, and Administrator Oz, our partnership is holding criminals accountable and delivering real results for the taxpayers of Louisiana and the nation,” said Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill.
The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) also voiced support for the coordinated enforcement initiative.
“Republican Attorneys General see the victims of fraud at home every day and aren’t going to let one more cent get sent to crooks in Somalia or Beijing,” said RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper. “Republican AGs are proud to stand alongside the Department of Justice to combat fraud at the roots.
From conversations in DC with Vice President JD Vance, Republican AG staff alum Vice Chairman Andrew Ferguson, and Executive Director Scott Brady at a White House Task Force earlier this summer to major announcements like today in South Carolina with Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald, Republican AGs and the Administration are achieving results and fighting fraud.”
RAGA General Counsel Whitney Lipscomb said continued coordination among federal, state, and local agencies is central to addressing increasingly complex fraud cases.
“Republican Attorneys General are working closely with the Trump Administration to root out fraud in all its forms. Today’s meeting is another important opportunity to strengthen collaboration among our federal, state, and local partners by leveraging modern law enforcement tools to combat the fraud epidemic. We appreciate President Trump and Vice President Vance for restoring a strong commitment to fighting fraud after four years of the Biden Administration turning a blind eye to this growing problem,” said RAGA General Counsel Whitney Lipscomb.
Federal prosecutors also announced that since July 4, they have charged cases involving more than $90 million in losses and 12 named defendants. Officials further revealed the formation of new federal-state anti-fraud task forces in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Florida, along with new cooperation agreements covering the seven participating states.
Before the public announcement, representatives from 18 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, seven state attorneys general offices, five federal law enforcement agencies, and more than 50 state officials participated in a regional roundtable focused on strengthening coordination and expanding joint efforts to investigate and prosecute fraud across the Southeast.
