Eastern District of North Carolina Launches Taxpayer Fraud Task Force to Intensify Crackdown on Government Program Fraud

RALEIGH, N.C. – The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC) has announced the formation of the Taxpayer Fraud Task Force (TF2), a coordinated federal initiative designed to investigate and prosecute fraud schemes targeting taxpayer-funded programs and government benefits.

The announcement followed a federal agency leadership meeting where representatives from participating agencies committed to a unified effort to combat fraud and protect public resources. TF2 brings together prosecutors, investigators, analysts, auditors, and inspectors general from multiple federal entities to enhance the detection and prosecution of fraud.

"Government fraud is not a victimless crime. I am a taxpayer; you are a taxpayer. They’re stealing our money," stated U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. "Every dollar stolen through fraud is a dollar diverted from the taxpayers who fund these programs and from the citizens who need these programs. TF2 will strengthen existing partnerships among prosecutors, agents, analysts, auditors, and inspectors general to identify fraud schemes, investigate them aggressively, and hold offenders accountable. We will find you, we will prosecute you, and a federal prison cell waits for you. Cheaters. Never. Win.”

The creation of TF2 reflects the EDNC U.S. Attorney's Office’s expanded commitment to combating fraud against the United States and protecting the integrity of federal programs. To bolster this effort, the office recently added two federal prosecutors to its Fraud Section and plans to increase fraud-focused staffing in the coming months, enhancing its capacity to pursue government fraud cases throughout Eastern North Carolina.

TF2 unites the U.S. Attorney's Office with federal investigative agencies and multiple Offices of Inspector General (OIG) responsible for overseeing a broad range of federal programs. Participating agencies include those overseeing healthcare, benefits, housing, disaster relief, agriculture, small businesses, and tax programs.

The task force leverages the expertise of OIGs and agency partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud schemes that threaten public resources, while fostering partnerships to address emerging fraud risks.

Reid Davis, FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina, emphasized the importance of the initiative: "Government fraud threatens the integrity of public programs and steals resources from citizens who depend on them. The FBI is dedicated to identifying, investigating, and disrupting these schemes to ensure taxpayer funds are safeguarded and public resources reach their intended beneficiaries. This task force initiative is a great step in bringing a whole of government approach to combating government fraud and the FBI intends to work closely with our partners to protect the public and hold accountable those who abuse these programs for personal gain.”

Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office, highlighted the value of collaboration: "Strong federal, state, and local partnerships are essential to combating fraud. IRS Criminal Investigation has long worked with law enforcement partners to find and disrupt complex financial fraud schemes targeting government programs. These collaborations, from healthcare fraud investigations to finding criminals through forensic accounting, have produced meaningful results. This new task force will build on earlier successes by uniting our resources and expertise to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud against taxpayer funded programs.”

Kelly Parrish, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Carolinas Field Office, noted the strategic importance of the task force: "The Eastern District of North Carolina holds one of the most critical Department of War footprints in the nation, and NCIS is strategically positioned to directly target the complex procurement fraud, corruption, and financial schemes that threaten our warfighters, military assets, and local communities. The Eastern District’s Taxpayer Fraud Task Force represents a powerful alliance. NCIS is proud to stand alongside the EDNC U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal partners to aggressively root out those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of our military readiness, our national security, and American taxpayers.”

TF2 aims to increase fraud referrals, coordinate investigations, and prosecute schemes targeting federal programs and taxpayer-funded benefits. By uniting subject-matter experts, investigators, and prosecutors, the task force intends to detect fraud earlier, pursue complex cases more effectively, and recover taxpayer dollars whenever possible.

T. March Bell, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), expressed support: "HHS-OIG is proud to join our federal and state law enforcement partners in the EDNC TF2 to strengthen our efforts to detect, investigate, and combat fraud impacting critical HHS programs. By working together, we can more effectively safeguard taxpayer dollars, disrupt criminal schemes, and hold accountable those who seek to exploit programs that millions of Americans depend on.”

Cheryl L. Mason, Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs, added: "Partnerships forged through programs such as the TF2 strengthen the VA OIG’s ability to uncover fraud, hold wrongdoers accountable, and protect every taxpayer dollar entrusted to the government. As a North Carolina resident, I know this task force will help protect the many veterans who reside in this community.”

The EDNC U.S. Attorney's Office continues to engage participating agencies to identify new collaboration opportunities, share ideas for improving fraud detection, case development, and prosecution strategies. TF2 is designed as a force multiplier, combining federal expertise to combat fraud schemes that collectively cost taxpayers billions annually.

This initiative aligns with the Department of Justice’s broader efforts, including the recent establishment of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (NFED) announced on April 7. NFED focuses on investigating and prosecuting fraud against the American people and supports the President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance, which aims to eradicate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.

The EDNC U.S. Attorney's Office remains committed to protecting Eastern North Carolina citizens by aggressively pursuing individuals and organizations that exploit government programs for personal gain. Through TF2 and other initiatives, the office seeks to safeguard taxpayer dollars, support victims, and uphold the integrity of federal programs across the district in close partnership with federal law enforcement agencies.

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