U.S. accuses envoys in Medicaid fraud case
NEW YORK – Dozens of current or former Russian diplomats and their spouses enjoyed luxury vacations and spent tens of thousands of dollars on concert tickets, fine clothing and helicopter rides as they lied about their incomes to get the government to pay their health- care bills with money meant for the poor, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
“Diplomacy should be about extending hands, not picking pockets in the host country,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara told a Manhattan news conference.
The case is unlikely to go to trial because the defendants have immunity, Bharara acknowledged.
Obama defends NSA cellphone surveillance
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is defending the National Security Agency, saying it does a very good job of not engaging in domestic surveillance.
He was responding to a Washington Post report Thursday that the agency tracks locations of nearly 5 billion cellphones every day overseas, including those of Americans.
In an interview on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, Obama said the people who want to hurt the U.S. communicate using technologies available on cellphones. He says to do a good job protecting the country, the U.S. needs to “keep eyes on some bad actors.”
Associated Press
