A growing welfare fraud scandal in Maine could rival the massive social-services scandal uncovered in Minnesota, according to President Donald Trump’s top Medicare official, Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Speaking Sunday during an interview with John Catsimatidis, Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), warned that investigators may be confronting “another big crisis” involving abuse of taxpayer-funded programs.
“It turns out that Maine looks a lot like Minnesota,” Oz said.
Whistleblower Allegations Trigger Alarm in Maine
Concerns escalated after a whistleblower alleged late last year that millions of dollars had been defrauded from Maine’s Medicaid program.
According to reporting by The Hill, Republican lawmakers in the state began sounding the alarm as details emerged.
State Sen. Matt Harrington (R) demanded an investigation, calling the situation “an absolute slap in the face to every Maine taxpayer.”
The allegations echo the sweeping fraud investigation in Minnesota, where federal investigators estimate that $1 billion in social-services funding was funneled through fraudulent schemes.
The Trump administration has linked those operations to Minnesota’s Somali community and pointed to the alleged connection as justification for intensified federal immigration enforcement in the state.
Oz Links Maine Fraud to Same Pattern
Oz indicated he believes Maine may be following a similar trajectory.
He said he has already sent a letter to Democrat Gov. Janet Mills outlining his concerns about potential fraud tied to the state’s Somali population.
Federal immigration enforcement activity in Maine increased last month under what officials described as “enhanced activities,” drawing sharp resistance from the state’s political leadership.
Gov. Mills condemned the operation, saying it inflicted “pain and suffering” on local communities.
Warning of Nationwide Fraud Crisis
Oz suggested the problem extends far beyond Maine and Minnesota, pointing to what he described as systemic abuse across multiple states, particularly California.
“We are going to keep fighting and looking for these fraudulent expenses because it’s ripping money out of the hands of our most vulnerable,” Oz said.
“We estimate there’s 100 billion dollars of fraud coming out of the programs that administer Medicare, Medicaid, and the like.”
WATCH:
You’ve probably heard about Minnesota’s fraud problems. Maine also needs to clean up its act.
Last month, HHS investigators released a report that identified at least $45 million in improper payments to the state’s Medicaid-funded treatment program for children with autism.… pic.twitter.com/z0Mu542BNA
— DrOzCMS (@DrOzCMS) February 6, 2026
The remarks signal an expanding federal focus on rooting out fraud inside America’s largest entitlement programs.
Political Fallout Spreads to California
Oz and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are now facing a civil-rights complaint from California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom filed suit after Oz accused members of Los Angeles’ Armenian community of involvement in hospice fraud.
The Democrat governor’s office responded:
“Given the historic sensitivities involved, we are taking these allegations seriously.
“Any and all acts of hate have no place in California.”
Federal Crackdown Appears to Be Accelerating
With whistleblower claims surfacing, immigration enforcement intensifying, and federal officials warning of tens of billions in potential fraud, scrutiny of welfare programs is rapidly expanding nationwide.
Oz’s warning that Maine may mirror Minnesota suggests the investigation into social-services abuse is far from over.
It could soon expose a much broader network of fraud draining taxpayer resources across the country.
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