媒體英語(yǔ)會(huì)帶大家一起學(xué)習(xí)BBC撰稿人在報(bào)道世界大事時(shí)常用到的單詞和短語(yǔ)。

Background:美國(guó)官員對(duì)參與一起重大醫(yī)療詐騙案的73個(gè)人提出指控。據(jù)信這些人都和亞美尼亞黑手黨有關(guān)聯(lián)。

The indictments paint a picture of a far-reaching and powerful organised crime network, which prosecutors say "puts the traditional mafia to shame". Most of those accused are of Armenian family origin. They allegedly operated under the protection of Armen Kazarian, a man described as an elite organised crime boss, now in a Los Angeles jail.

The group is accused of setting up more than 100 phantom clinics spanning 25 American states, and then invoicing the government for treatment that never took place. Investigators uncovered evidence of US$ 163 million in false billing, which targeted Medicare, the federal insurance program for the elderly. Prosecutors say it's the largest ever Medicare fraud committed by a single criminal entity, adding that the whole doctor-patient relationship was a "mirage".

FBI agents arrested 52 people on Wednesday. A total of 73 alleged gang members have been charged with racketeering and related offences. The indictment says some of the proceeds from the operation were couriered back to Armenia in cash.