ANCA files federal civil-rights complaint against Dr. Oz over ethnic scapegoating

(Horizon Weekly / WASHINGTON, D.C.) — The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) filed a federal civil-rights complaint on January 30 with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), stating that Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, engaged in unlawful discrimination and ethnic profiling against Americans of Armenian heritage.

The complaint stems from a video Dr. Oz posted in late January on official HHS social media accounts, in which he visited the Van Nuys area of Los Angeles to highlight alleged hospice and home-care fraud, linking purported schemes to “the Russian Armenian mafia” and pointing to Armenian-owned businesses. ANCA leaders and California officials have stated that the public remarks unfairly suggested that an entire community is responsible for fraud without evidence, reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian condemned the video as “scapegoating” and a dangerous form of ethnic generalization that could chill Armenian Americans’ participation in federally funded health programs. Mr. Hamparian also noted Dr. Oz’s history of avoiding acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide as part of broader concerns about bias.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has also filed a separate civil-rights complaint, describing Dr. Oz’s claims as “baseless and racially charged,” and warning that they have already harmed local business owners, including an Armenian bakery that reported dropped sales following the video’s release.

The ANCA complaint asks the HHS Office for Civil Rights to investigate whether Dr. Oz’s conduct violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin in programs receiving federal funds, and to require corrective actions if discrimination is found.

The dispute has drawn attention nationwide, with lawmakers and civil-rights advocates weighing in and calling for accountability, highlighting ongoing tensions over ethnic profiling and the responsibilities of federal officials in public outreach.