Dr. Mehmet Oz
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator.
Criminal investigation has been confirmed against Dr. Mehmet Oz, several recent actions and reports have prompted scrutiny. These have focused on potential tax avoidance, social media marketing practices, and conflicts of interest during his confirmation process for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Potential FTC violations regarding social media marketing
In December 2024, a consumer advocacy group called Public Citizen urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate Oz for his social media marketing practices.
- The group alleged that Oz failed to disclose his financial ties to iHerb, a supplement company for which he is a paid advisor.
- The complaint stated that Oz promoted iHerb products on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X without the required disclosures, which Public Citizen claims violates FTC rules.
Allegations of tax avoidance
During his March 2025 confirmation hearing for the CMS administrator role, Senate Democrats raised concerns that Oz had underpaid his Social Security and Medicare taxes.
- A memo from Democratic Senate Finance Committee staff alleged that Oz and his team used a limited liability loophole to avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes between 2021 and 2023.
- Oz’s team and Senate Republicans maintained that he had followed all applicable tax laws.
Conflicts of interest regarding CMS position
The confirmation process for his CMS role also highlighted several potential conflicts of interest for Oz, which were scrutinized by senators like Elizabeth Warren.
- Investments: Oz and his wife have held investments in major health insurers like UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, and Cigna, which sparked concerns about conflicts of interest.
- Privatized programs: He has also publicly advocated for private alternatives to traditional Medicare, a system he would have overseen as CMS administrator.
- Medical advice vs. evidence: The Senate hearing also drew renewed attention to Oz’s history of promoting scientifically dubious health advice on his television show.