U.S. Attorneys Create Task Force to Combat Fraud

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorneys Matthew L. Harvey and Moore Capito have joined with other federal, state, and local partners to create the Mountain State Fraud and Diversion Task Force, which will tirelessly combat fraud across the state of West Virginia.

Fraud costs consumers billions of dollars each year, raising the costs of insurance premiums, healthcare costs, and the costs of other goods, as well as depleting the retirement funds and savings of victims across the country. 

“Fraud comes with too high a cost for the average American, and West Virginians work too hard to lose money to fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “This task force will collaborate to fight fraud in every corner - from healthcare to insurance to tax to personal fraud. If you are scheming, we will find you, charge you, and convict you.”

“My first year as U.S. Attorney made it clear to me how serious a threat fraud poses to West Virginians and how fighting it requires all of us to work together across the state,” said U.S. Attorney Moore Capito. “That’s why we joined together with the Northern District to form the Mountain State Fraud and Diversion Task Force. Ahead of today’s inaugural meeting, we held a series of roundtables with local prosecutors and law enforcement officers across our district. Our on-the-ground partners gave us an invaluable perspective on the ways fraud is affecting their communities and helped us understand where and how this task force can be most effective. By working together across district lines, we’ll be better positioned to uncover fraud, protect taxpayers, and make sure those who commit fraud answer for it.”

The Mountain State Fraud Task Force comprises both U.S. Attorney’s Offices in West Virginia, federal, state, and local law enforcement, and the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office. U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey and U.S. Attorney Moore Capito, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys from each office, offered insight to the work done to combat fraud every day, sharing successes and monies recovered. 

At the meeting, the National Fraud Detection Center spoke of trends, investigative techniques and abilities, and resources available to all law enforcement. The National Fraud Enforcement Division also shared information about its mission, partnerships, analytics, and asset recovery resources.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which focuses on investigating and prosecuting fraud against the American public. This effort supports the President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole‑of‑government initiative chaired by the Vice President to address fraud, waste, and abuse in federal benefit programs.

The inaugural Mountain State Fraud and Diversion Task Force meeting was held at the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services facility in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The task force plans to meet bi-annually.