Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times,
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the agency overseeing Medicaid and Medicare, announced Tuesday that his agency’s anti-fraud effort will come to every state.
During an interview at a Politico-hosted event, Oz said that every U.S. state can expect anti-fraud activities involving funds received through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS).
“We are going to announce this week that all 50 states are going to be requested to give us a plan over the next 30 days of how they’re going to re-validate providers in high-risk areas in their states,” Oz said.
Oz explained that it would involve proving whether individuals who are enrolled in CMS programs “really exist” or not, and whether the states “have a right to provide these services.”
“We’re asking the states to own that problem ... red and blue, all of them,” he said, responding to a question from the Politico moderator about whether it involves every state.
He later added that if states “don’t take it seriously, it indicates to us that we might have to take the audits ... more aggressively.”
When asked about a possible deadline, he said CMS is asking the states to provide the agency with a plan over the next month.
Oz, a medical doctor better known as the moniker Dr. Oz from when he was a television personality, oversees the nation’s largest health insurance programs as the administrator of CMS. To date, Oz has sent letters to California, Florida, Maine, and New York alleging fraud in the states’ Medicaid programs.
At the Tuesday event, the Politico interviewer mentioned CMS having issued a statement earlier this month to correct a comment made by Oz on social media that 5.1 million beneficiaries received personal care services, which include things like help with eating, bathing, and dressing.
However, the real number receiving services was about 450,000, the CMS spokesperson said.
Oz’s comment drew criticism from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, with a spokesperson saying that it was “patently false” and her office is “glad they now admit it.”
During the interview, Oz emphasized the Trump administration’s efforts to address fraud around the country, which federal officials say is needed to rein in runaway spending and protect taxpayers.
With many midterm voters concerned about the cost of living in the United States, President Donald Trump has ramped up efforts to address it, announcing last month that Vice President JD Vance would help balance the nation’s budget by spearheading a national “war on fraud.”
The Trump administration has sought to withhold funding from some Democrat-led states in recent months, citing fraud concerns. This has included child care subsidies and other social services programs in Minnesota, New York, and three other states and with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 22 states that have declined to hand over data that the federal government says is needed to root out fraud.
Lawsuits have been filed in response to the he anti-fraud efforts led by the federal government. In several cases, judges have ruled that the federal money must continue to flow for the time being.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, in response to claims of widespread hospice fraud in Southern California, blamed the Trump administration, in part, for entitlement fraud in the state.
In January, Newsom’s office said in a statement the administration has “dismantled the federal government’s ability to prevent and address fraud.”
“California didn’t wait—we’ve identified and cracked down on hospice fraud for years, taking real action to protect patients and taxpayers,” Newsom said in a statement.
Tyler Durden Wed, 04/22/2026 - 21:20In confirmation of some early reporting we featured at the start of this week, The Wall Street Journal has verified something that Iraqi officials themselves were denying just days ago: the US is blocking Iraq's regular dollar shipments in order to pressure it's Iran-backed militias.
"The Trump administration has suspended U.S. dollar shipments to Iraq and frozen security cooperation programs with its military, escalating the pressure on Baghdad to dismantle powerful Iranian-backed militias," said Iraqi and US officials interviewed in the report.
Pallets of cash and the Middle East should ring familiar, stretching from the Bush-Cheney years to even the Obama years (and Iran sanctions relief as part of the original nuclear deal). In this case, like with the Obama/Iran deal saga before, this is actually Iraq's own oil revenue money.
Memory lane via CNBC: The New York Federal Reserve shipped billions of dollars in physical cash to Baghdad to pay for the reopening of the government & restoration of basic services. Much of it went missing.In this latest case, a US military plane carrying a half-billion dollars has been delayed on its regularly scheduled delivery.
"A cargo-plane delivery of nearly $500 million in U.S. banknotes, the proceeds from Iraqi oil sales from Federal Reserve Bank of New York accounts, was blocked recently by Treasury Department officials because of U.S. concerns about the militias," WSJ continues, citing the officials.
The publication details, "It was the second scheduled shipment of dollars to the Central Bank of Iraq delayed by the U.S. since the start of the Iran war in late February, the U.S. and Iraqi officials said."
During the height of the March fighting between Iran and Israel, several American facilities across Iraq came under attack, even including the US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone. Typically these were drones, or rocket fire, and Erbil and northern Iraq in particular came under heavy fire.
To review from the backgrounder we previously featured: since 2003, a decision issued by Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) head Paul Bremer has required that all Iraqi oil revenues be paid into an account at the US Federal Reserve Bank of New York, giving the US the ability to control how many US dollars are returned to the CBI.
From that point until today, the Iraqi Ministry of Finance has had to submit funding requests to the US Treasury, which then approves or denies them based on its own criteria.
This monthly transfer of US dollars, flown into Baghdad in pallets of hard cash, determines Iraq's ability to pay for basic needs such as salaries, food, and medicine.
Whenever Washington believes that Iraq is not aligned with US regional goals, including enforcing economic sanctions on Iran, Baghdad's major trading partner and a source of natural gas for electricity production, these fund transfers can be delayed or reduced.
The US halted $13 billion in annual cash shipments to Iraq to pressure Baghdad to act against Resistance groups, the second such suspension since the start of the war on Iran.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 22, 2026Currently the Coordination Framework (CF), which is the largest Iran-aligned parliamentary bloc of Shia parties, is racing to pick a new prime minister for the country - but reportedly neither of the two main candidates are acceptable to Washington.
There's a huge lasting irony to the Iraq war and the Bush-Cheney legacy. The US overthrow of Baathist Sunni Saddam Hussein effectively handed the country over to pro-Tehran leadership. And the US has been dealing with the fallout in the region from the 'Shia axis' ever since.
Tyler Durden Wed, 04/22/2026 - 20:55At least two fully laden Iranian tankers slip past US naval blockade, amid reports of more going dark, BBG reports, but Pentagon denies.
Reports of three more Iranian tankers being seized by US in Asian waters. Iran in turn seizes 2 more ships in Hormuz, citing "dangerous navigation".
Trump extends ceasefire by 3-5 days, per White House statement to Fox. Third US carrier precisely 3-5 day away from Mideast waters: Fox
IRGC seized the MSC Francesca and a Greek-owned ship named Euphoria, which had been attempting to transit the Hormuz chokepoint earlier today. Within hours, a third ship comes under fire by the IRGC.
Senior Iranian adviser says the US naval blockade is "no different than bombing" and must be met "with a military response".
Competing narratives emerge over what Iran calls "fake news" as Trump hails "release" of 8 Iranian women said to be facing death penalty.
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Iran Seizes Two More Ships in Hormuz, In Developing Rapid Tanker Assault Tit-for-TatLatest from Newsquawk (nighttime Iran local): Iran seizes two ships in the Strait of Hormuz citing violations and dangerous navigation, according to SNN (state "Student News Network).
Three Iranian Tankers Intercepted by US in Asian WatersThe US appears to be serious about its counter-Iran interdictions going global, as the US military has newly intercepted at least three Iranian oil tankers in Asian waters, per Newsquawk.
The tankers are now being redirected and escorted, according to shipping and security sources, presumably in what will end up being another seizure of Iranian oil on the high seas.
Plot Thickens, Gets More Bizarre: Iran Denies 8 Women Set to Be ExecutedThere's been a lot of fresh back and forth over Trump's initial Truth Social Post earlier this week: first he demanded that eight young women he said were on death row in Iran for protesting must be released. Then on Thursday Trump proclaimed that Iran complied.
But Iran is rejecting the whole narrative as fake news from the start. "Trump was misled once again by fake news," the judiciary's official Mizan Online website said. "The women who were claimed to be on the verge of execution, some of them have been released, while others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment." The Times (UK) picked up on the story, but underscored:
The image Trump recirculated was originally created by the Lawfare Project, a pro-Israel organisation based in the US.
The human rights organisation Hiwa identified the women in the post. They included Panah Movahedi Salamat and Ensieh Nejati.
"To the Iranian leaders, who will soon be in negotiations with my representatives: I would greatly appreciate the release of these women. I am sure that they will respect the fact that you did so. Please do them no harm! Would be a great start to our negotiations!!!" - President… pic.twitter.com/pxU8xZFvAh
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 21, 2026While Iran has certainly carried out horrendous executions in the recent past, this particular case has incubator babies hoax written all over it.
Third Carrier 3-5 Days AwayWe've been tracking the progress of the USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier as it makes its way to the US Central Command/Mideast area. Interestingly its arrival could correspond with the end of Trump's extended ceasefire by this weekend. Fox News is freshly reporting that the vessel, which will be the third carrier in waters near Iran, is expected to arrive in three to five days. "The USS Bush Aircraft Carrier is expected to arrive in the Middle East within five days," a Fox News reporter has said on X.
It took the 'long way' around Africa in order to avoid the Red Sea, and thus the potential for coming under attack by the Houthis or Iranians.
The aircraft carrier strike group is currently located somewhere off the coast of Tanzania or Kenya and will arrive in the region in 3-5 days, becoming the third aircraft carrier in the war against Iran.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says in a post on X: "Breach of commitments, blockade and threats are main obstacles to genuine negotiations."
Carrier-related air traffic has been observed in this area over about the last day (FlightRadar):
Serious Slippage in US Naval Blockade as Iranian Vessels Go DarkConfirmation from Bloomberg after some initial unverified claims circulated yesterday: Iran Tankers Go Dark to Sail Past US Blockade Laden With Oil. Additional reports suggest that the total number of Iran-linked tankers slipping through is actually much larger, suggesting the potential unravelling of the US naval blockade of ships visiting Iran's ports:
Donald Trump's naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is unraveling after dozens of Iranian vessels secretly slipped past US surveillance, even as the regime tightened its grip on the critical oil passageway by attacking three tankers.
Approximately 34 Iranian oil tankers have slipped through the blockade, with 19 vessels exiting the Persian Gulf past Trump's navy and another 15 ships entering from the Arabian Sea toward Iran, according to the Financial Times. Six of those tankers were smuggling Iranian crude oil totaling 10.7 million barrels, estimated to be worth approximately $910 million in revenue for the regime.
Of course, the Pentagon's own figures stand in direct contradiction, but the fact that major Western MSM outlets like FT and Bloomberg are picking up on significant numbers getting through doesn't bode well for the Trump blockade.
Meanwhile, the locations of the earlier seizures by Iran's IRGC. Two are being escorted to Iran's coast:
Trump Extends Ceasefire for 3-5 DaysThe White House has told FOX Wednesday morning that President Trump has extended the ceasefire by three to five days. This was also reported earlier by Axios, with the US seeking for the Iranian side to "come to the table with a unified approach." There's a growing assumption within the administration that it might be dealing with two competing factions: a civilian government side in Tehran, and the IRGC.
Tasnim meanwhile reports that Iran has made no decision as of yet to negotiate with the US, amid rumblings that talks could resume Friday. WSJ's latest commentary:
Singh [former senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council who is now at the Washington Institute think tank] warned that the blockade could prove a double-edged sword for Washington, at a time when the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is hurting the world economy and driving up U.S. energy prices ahead of November’s midterm elections.
“The blockade is a bet that Iran will break before the rest of the world will, but it’s a risky bet,” he said. “The Iranian regime is fighting for its survival and has demonstrated an ability to withstand the strangulation of its oil exports.”
The latest as both warring sides impose rival blockades in Hormuz:
FT: At least 34 tankers with links to Iran have bypassed the US blockade since it began, according to the cargo tracking group Vortexa, including several carrying Iranian oil— despite President Trump declaring the barricade a “tremendous success”. https://t.co/G3v3VbHnsA
— Annmarie Hordern (@annmarie) April 22, 2026 Third Ship Attacked by IRGCThe IRGC on Wednesday attacked a third vessel of the day in the Strait of Hormuz, rapidly escalating tensions further in the dangerous standoff. The container ship Francesca, owned by Mediterranean Shipping, was targeted while waiting to enter.
"An Iranian gunboat fired on a containership northeast of Oman, before a second vessel reported being fired at off the coast of Iran," according to WSJ. "Then the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on a third ship. The incidents within hours of each other demonstrate that while the aerial war between the U.S. and Iran is on pause, the fight for control of the strait continues." The same publication offers the following outline summary of where things stand on the diplomatic front:
The semi-official news agency Fars reports on X that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the MSC Francesca and a Greek-owned ship named Euphoria, which had been attempting to transit the Hormuz chokepoint earlier today. In total, three ships were targeted this morning by IRGC naval forces, and two were seized.
"The IRGC Navy seized two violating vessels and transferred them to Iran's coast. IRGC Navy Command: Disruption of order and safety in the Strait of Hormuz is our red line," Fars said, adding that both vessels had been "immobilized."
نیروی دریایی سپاه دو کشتی متخلف را توقیف و به ساحل ایران منتقل کرد
فرماندهی نیروی دریایی سپاه: اخلال در نظم و ایمنی تنگه هرمز خط قرمز ماست pic.twitter.com/LyhPFqGMwV
Earlier, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center reported that the two vessels had come under heavy fire in the narrow waterway.
Current snapshot of the waterway via Bloomberg ship-tracking data of tankers:
All three maritime incidents in the Strait come as President Trump has kept the U.S. blockade of Iran in Hormuz in place, and U.S. naval forces seized an Iranian ship over the weekend before boarding another tanker linked to Iran.
Related:
Overnight, Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran so negotiators "can come up with a unified proposal," but said the naval blockade will continue, while Tehran says it is an "act of war."
Iran's semi-official Tasnim cited the country's envoy to the UN, Amir-Saeid Iravani, as telling reporters: "We have received some sign that they are ready to break it and as soon as they break this blockade, I think that the next round of the negotiations will take place in Islamabad."
Iravani added, "If they want to sit at the table and discuss and find a political solution, they will find us ready. If they want to go to war, in this case also Iran is ready." The status of the next round of US-Iran talks remains unclear. Vice President JD Vance has not departed for Pakistan as expected on Tuesday.
More Latest Regional Developmentsvia Newsquawk...
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Tyler Durden Wed, 04/22/2026 - 20:44