Federal officials unveil Ohio fraud crackdown

• Speakers at the press conference also included FBI director Kash Patel, Medicare and Medicaid administrator Mehmet Oz, Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, Small Business Administration administrator Kelly Loeffler and Federal Trade Commission chair Andrew Ferguson.

Zoom in: The Justice Department announced 14 people face charges related to more than $50 million in alleged fraud involving Medicaid, COVID-19 relief funds and a "romance fraud scheme."

• It also announced a partnership and "data sharing agreement" with Ohio that aims to find and prosecute more fraud.

The big picture: Blanche said Ohio is "facing some of the most significant fraud schemes in the country" and that the state's resources have been "scandalously abused."

• It's familiar messaging for Republicans, who have repeatedly alleged fraud related to government funds this year.

Yes, but: State leadership has been under Republican control for more than a decade, including outgoing Attorney General Dave Yost, who also spoke at the press conference.

• Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who did not speak at the event, has defended the state's prior efforts to root out fraud.

What we're watching: The group also announced the formation of "the inaugural Fraud Division-State Partnership Roundtable in Ohio," meant to improve cooperation to detect and prosecute fraud.

• Blanche said the partnership will "serve as a template" for other states.