CHICAGO  - The federal  government conducted a nationwide, Medicare fraud crackdown in seven cities that resulted in charges against 107 people, including doctors, nurses, and other medical professions,  the U.S. Department of Justice announced today.

The persons arrested allegedly participated in Medicare fraud schemes involving about $452 million in false billing, say federal authorities.

This coordinated takedown by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force is the highest amount of Medicare billing crackdown strike force history, according to officials.

In addition to making arrests, federal agents also executed 20 search warrants in connection with an ongoing investigation, say federal officials.

 Arrests were made in Chicago; Miami;Tampa, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Houston and Detroit. In Los Angeles, eight defendants, including two doctors, were charged in schemes to defraud Medicare of about $14 million.

In one case in Los Angeles,two people allegedly billed Medicare for more than $8 million in false claims for medically unnecessary services, including home health, psychotherapy, and infusion therapy.