All U.S. attorney's offices must assign a prosecutor to new fraud division: Memo

Key Points:

• The Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division has directed all U.S. attorneys' offices to assign a local prosecutor to support a new Washington-based fraud office, aiming to enhance nationwide fraud prosecution efforts.
• Starting July 1, these detailed prosecutors must obtain prior approval from the fraud division before taking on any new cases or work, ensuring focused support for fraud litigation.
• This staffing move follows a $300 million grant initiative to hire local prosecutors temporarily as special assistant U.S. attorneys to combat public benefit fraud, especially involving undocumented immigrants.
• The directive responds to staffing shortages and high workloads in U.S. attorneys' offices, which are also managing numerous habeas petitions related to immigration detention policies from the Trump era.
• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche noted the new fraud division consolidates various departmental offices handling criminal fraud in areas like health care, taxes, benefits, and corporate fraud to improve efficiency.