The Department of Justice released its 2025 report, detailing its aggressive efforts to combat senior fraud and abuse.
Federal prosecutors pursued more than 280 enforcement actions against over 600 defendants who targeted older Americans, according to the Annual Report to Congress on Department of Justice Activities to Combat Elder Fraud and Abuse.
“The Department’s comprehensive approach to promoting elder justice rests on five pillars: Enforcement, Raising Public Awareness, Capacity Building, Victim Support and Recovery, and Sharing Data and Research,” the report notes.
The report underscores a growing crisis: criminals attempted to steal more than $2 billion from over one million elderly victims during the reporting period. Many perpetrators operated from overseas or were in the U.S. illegally.
Justice Department litigators secured convictions against both domestic and transnational offenders. Several defendants were extradited to face charges in U.S. courts.
The agency also targeted negligent nursing home operators. Multiple facilities faced accountability for providing grossly substandard care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
Beyond prosecutions, the Department invested heavily in prevention and support for victims. It hosted the first National Elder Abuse Multidisciplinary Team Summit, bringing together nearly 400 team members from across the nation.
Through Victims of Crime Act formula grants, the Department supported more than 4,000 victim assistance organizations. These groups provided services to nearly 200,000 older victims across the country.
Federal agents recovered or froze millions of dollars stolen from elderly victims. The Department also commissioned the first National Elder Abuse Victim Services Needs Assessment to identify service gaps and needs.
Public awareness campaigns reached approximately 15 million Americans. The Department held nearly 1,200 elder-focused training events and public awareness sessions during the reporting period.
Older adults lose billions of dollars annually to fraud schemes, the report confirms. The Department pledged to continue prioritizing elder justice initiatives in the coming year.
Victims of elder fraud can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311. Additional resources are available through the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative website.