FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2026
Contact: Team Saritha
Email: [email protected]
NEW YORK – “The U.S. Department of Justice just filed a lawsuit accusing the Hochul Administration of rigging bids on an $11 billion Medicaid home care program, a scam that occurred right under the nose of controversial New York State Attorney General Letitia James. New Yorkers pay more than $300 million annually for this attorney general’s office, and they get shortchanged every year. Here is yet another example.”
“The allegations in this lawsuit are specific and detailed, and they reflect a blatant disregard for the public trust. The Hochul administration funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to a single megacorporation, which lied about the services it would provide and overbilled the state. State officials–instead of pushing back–were in on the lie. As a result, the cost to administer New York’s Medicaid program went up, not down, and patients, caregivers, and taxpayers are paying the price.”
“Government watchdog groups, state lawmakers of both parties, investigative journalists, and healthcare associations have been ringing the alarm bells for years, repeatedly pointing to evidence of corruption and fraud in this program. But Letitia James chose to look the other way. She did nothing, despite having at her disposal a federal- and state-funded Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the AG’s office to identify and stop schemes just like this.”
At least five lawsuits were filed challenging the arrangement, two of which specifically alleged bid-rigging on the part of the Hochul administration.
The allegations follow a series of revelations involving bid-rigging and corruption at the municipal and state levels in New York. In July 2018, multiple defendants were convicted in an $850 million bid-rigging scheme for manipulating state-funded construction contracts in connection with the “Buffalo Billion” construction projects. In March 2025, multiple defendants were convicted in a $700,000 bid-rigging scheme in connection with city-funded contracts for public schools. In March 2026, four individuals were charged with embezzlement, fraud, and paying bribes and kickbacks in connection with government contracts for homeless shelters.
“This is a conspiracy against the public trust. And currently, there is no prosecutor in Albany to bust the conspiracy. Public officials and private entities engage in brazen self-dealing and fraud because they are not afraid of getting caught. That ends when I’m Attorney General.”
“As New York’s next Attorney General, I will prosecute fraud, crime, and corruption without fear or favor, and safeguard our taxpayer money. The state of New York should be working for all New Yorkers, not a select few.”
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About Saritha
Saritha Komatireddy is a respected former prosecutor, national security expert, and public servant with a career devoted to upholding the rule of law and protecting Americans.
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Saritha pursued law school and has spent over a decade prosecuting leaders in al-Qaida, ISIS, and the Mexican drug cartels. As a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York, she led some of the nation’s most high-profile cases involving international terrorism, cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, fraud, and foreign public corruption. Her cases have impacted individuals and communities across New York State, from New York City and Long Island to Buffalo and Rochester.
Saritha also served as Chief of Staff of the Drug Enforcement Administration, a 10,000-person global law enforcement agency.
Saritha has argued before federal courts, led national security investigations, and advised on matters of foreign affairs, criminal law, and cyber policy. She has been recognized with multiple Attorney General’s Awards and national law enforcement honors for her work protecting American communities and advancing justice.
Saritha graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and began her legal career as a clerk for then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She later served as Counsel to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Today, she is a Partner at Holtzman Vogel and teaches at Columbia Law School. She is a proud mother of four.