October 7, 2026 11:00 a.m.   

On Wednesday in Portland, United States Attorney Scott E. Bradford announced the continued work of the District of Oregon’s Government Fraud Task Force, bringing together federal law enforcement agencies and inspectors general to strengthen efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud against government programs and American taxpayers.

A release said the U.S. Attorney’s Office hosted the task force’s most recent meeting on Monday, October 5th, attended by federal prosecutors and representatives from participating agencies. The meeting focused on expanding intelligence and data sharing, developing new methods for identifying fraud, prioritizing investigative leads, and ensuring law enforcement resources are directed toward significant fraud schemes.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford said, “Fraud against government programs is theft from the American taxpayer, and we are committed to using every tool available to identify and prosecute those who exploit these programs for personal gain.” Bradford said, “By bringing our federal, state, and local partners together to share intelligence, prioritize the strongest cases, and strategically deploy investigative resources, we will more effectively detect fraud, hold offenders accountable, and protect taxpayer dollars.”

The release said key priorities of the Government Fraud Task Force include:

• Expanding information and data sharing among participating agencies to identify potential fraud schemes;
• Cross-referencing government databases and benefit records to identify suspicious activity and potentially ineligible or fraudulent recipients;
• Prioritizing and ranking fraud leads and referrals so investigative resources can be directed toward the strongest and most significant cases;
• Deploying investigative resources strategically to address fraud leads in areas where agencies may lack sufficient personnel;
• Using data analytics and financial investigative tools to identify unusual billing, benefit, grant, and contracting activity; and
• Conducting annual reviews to evaluate the task force’s impact and identify opportunities to strengthen fraud enforcement.

These efforts support the U.S. Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative, and creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance coordination among federal agencies and strengthen the government’s ability to detect and prosecute fraud