Rampant fraud is being discovered in California thanks to independent journalists like Nick Shirley pointing the way for a friendly administration finally willing to act. But the general public is left in the dark as these stories are either dismissed or covered up. This one in particular fits the mold for what should be a slam dunk lede for every major outlet across the country based on how much one man was able to steal, but of course nobody outside of Fox News and a few smaller outlets are covering it.
California’s latest fraud headline underscores a systemic vulnerability that has drained taxpayer resources for years with minimal accountability. Paul Richard Randall, 66, of Orange, California, recently pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for orchestrating a massive Medi-Cal scheme. Over an 11-month span from May 2022 to April 2023, his operation submitted nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims for expensive prescription drugs containing low-cost generic ingredients. Many claims were for medications that were not medically necessary—or were never provided at all. Medi-Cal ultimately paid out more than $178 million.