SHATTERPROOF STATEMENT ON DOJ ADDICTION TREATMENT FRAUD CHARGES

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Justice has announced charges involving what it calls the largest substance use treatment fraud scheme it has ever prosecuted, alleging more than $1.6 billion in fraudulent billing for sham addiction treatment. Prosecutors allege that vulnerable people were recruited into treatment programs, cut off from family members, prevented from leaving and, in some instances, drugged to keep them at facilities while their insurance continued to be billed.

Statement from Pam Jenkins, CEO, Shatterproof:

"These allegations are horrifying. People seeking help for addiction deserve safe, effective, evidence-based care, not exploitation at one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

Families need reliable information to recognize quality addiction treatment, ask the right questions, and make informed decisions about care. Shatterproof's Quality Matters Family Guide was created to help families understand what quality care looks like and what to ask treatment providers when seeking help for someone they love.

But the burden cannot fall on families alone. Strong oversight, transparency, and accountability are essential to protecting people seeking treatment and holding bad actors accountable.

Quality addiction treatment should be the expectation, not the exception."

About Shatterproof

Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the burden of substance use disorder in the United States. Shatterproof is focused on increasing access to quality, science-based addiction treatment; educating society on prevention, treatment and recovery; driving change through public policy; and reducing addiction stigma to ensure that people who use substances or have a substance use disorder can live healthy and fulfilled lives. Shatterproof operates with three imperatives: base everything on science; help people today while also catalyzing partnerships to improve the healthcare system for future generations; and follow rigorous metrics for maximum impact. Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X and YouTube: @ShatterproofHQ or follow us on Instagram at @weareshatterproof. To learn more, visit www.Shatterproof.org

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SOURCE Shatterproof