COVID-19 Aid Fraud Tops $8 Billion
The Department of Justice has appointed Kevin Chambers director of a new task force after uncovering a vast level of criminal activities tied to the federal COVID-19 aid. The massive influx of cash provided by Congress in an effort to bolster families and businesses, particularly in the health care sector, has been a prime target for fraud.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) has uncovered a vast array of alleged fraudulent and criminal activities tied to more than $8 billion in federal COVID-19 aid, appointing Kevin Chambers as a new director tasked specifically with Coronavirus anti-fraud enforcement, reports The Hill.
Chambers’ top priority will be to establish strike force teams, which the White House said will “use state-of-the-art data analytics tools to connect the dots on identity theft and other complex fraud schemes committed across state lines or transnationally.” To date, the agency has charged more than 1,000 defendants with alleged losses exceeding $1.1 billion, seized more than $1 billion and launched civil investigations into more than 1,800 individuals and entities for alleged fraud in connection with more than $6 billion in loans. Cases have involved the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, unemployment insurance programs and COVID-19 health care fraud enforcement.
