The US government has charged 11 individuals tied to a Russia-based criminal group accused of stealing the personal data of over a million Medicare beneficiaries. The scheme involved submitting fake claims for pricey medical equipment, scamming the program out of a staggering $10.6 billion. Prosecutors call it a highly organized, cross-border operation targeting vulnerable Americans.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just another white-collar crime story—it’s a massive breach of trust affecting millions of elderly and disabled Americans who rely on Medicare. The scale of the fraud highlights how vulnerable healthcare systems are to sophisticated international schemes, and it’ll likely fuel debates about tighter security measures and oversight. For ordinary people, it’s a reminder to guard personal data closely, even when dealing with trusted institutions.