WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The White House has sent Congress a proposal that would impose mandatory prison sentences for fraud involving federal benefit programs, according to draft legislation reviewed by Semafor.
The administration delivered the proposal to House and Senate leaders Sunday night after President Donald Trump called for tougher penalties for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security fraud.
Minimum sentences would rise with the losses involved. Fraud causing losses below forty thousand dollars would carry at least one year in prison. Losses between forty thousand and two hundred fifty thousand dollars would trigger at least two years.
Offenses involving losses of at least one hundred million dollars would carry a twenty-year minimum. Every covered violation would allow a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Judges could not suspend the sentences or grant probation.
The proposal would also make state officers and employees personally liable if they knew about alleged fraud and willfully, intentionally or recklessly ignored it. Damages could equal the resulting losses, or reach three times that amount when losses exceed one million dollars, Semafor reported.
In a video released Saturday, Trump said his plan would double sentences for repeat offenders and hold officials financially responsible for failing to stop fraud.
The proposal requires congressional approval and enactment before its provisions could take effect.
