Justice Department announces charges against hundreds of alleged COVID-19 fraudsters

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of people have been charged with the theft of more than $830 million in COVID-19 emergency aid following a nationwide operation conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday.

More than 60 of the defendants have alleged connections to organized crime, the department said, including members of a criminal gang accused of using stolen pandemic aid to pay for a murder.

“This latest action, involving over 300 defendants and over $830 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud, should send a clear message: the COVID-19 public health emergency may have ended, but the Justice Department’s work to identify and prosecute those who stole pandemic relief funds is far from over,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

The three-month operation, which ended in July, resulted in more than 300 people being charged,, underscoring the pervasiveness of the fraud.

-snip-


BY RICHARD LARDNER
Updated 4:13 PM EDT, August 23, 2023


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pandemic-fraud-stolen-justice-charges-covid19-theft-949761ba4992c07f290ca577c48678bd

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Source: U.S. Department of Justice

Justice Department Announces Results of Nationwide COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Action

Department Also Announces the Launch of Two New COVID-19 Fraud Strike Forces

Wednesday, August 23, 2023
For Immediate Release
Office of Public Affairs

The Justice Department announced today the results of a coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud, which included 718 enforcement actions – including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants – for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud.

“The Justice Department has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that criminals had stolen and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This latest action, involving over 300 defendants and over $830 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud, should send a clear message: the COVID-19 public health emergency may have ended, but the Justice Department’s work to identify and prosecute those who stole pandemic relief funds is far from over.”

The announcement was made by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco at a roundtable meeting of senior Justice Department officials, law enforcement partners, and Office of Inspector General (OIG) executives. Deputy Attorney General Monaco also announced the launch of two additional COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Forces: one at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, and one at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. These two strike forces add to the three strike forces launched in September 2022 in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, the Southern District of Florida, and the District of Maryland.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-results-nationwide-covid-19-fraud-enforcement-action

[jmbar2]

1. Outstanding

I think were gonna need bigger prisons.

[Owl]

2. Excellent!!!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

3. That is some serious pocket picking.

[elleng]

4. for those who think AG Garland's just been twidling his fingers.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. How many are members of Congress?

[rubbersole]

9. Sporky got some serious cash.

Hope it's fraud and they nail her ass. So to speak.

[TeamProg]

6. Awsome! LOCK THEM UP with TRUMP!! nt

[peppertree]

11. And I bet most were Trumpkins too.

As you may recall, most of them were utterly convinced Needy Amin would be re-elected - thus making them even more inclined to commit fraud than they usually are anyway.

[ShazzieB]

7. Oh, good!

The good news just keeps on coming these days!
💕💐🦋🌈🐦💐🥂🍿🥳🎈🐦🌈🦋💐💕

[niyad]

8. It has truly been a great news week. . and it is only Wednesday!

[rubbersole]

10. Yes.

And tomorrow is lookin' to be pretty special. Gonna put on my clean shirt.

[Snackshack]

12. I'd bet $

Most affiliate with one political party.

[FakeNoose]

13. Hey fellas, it's time to "Find Out"

[wolfie001]

18. NOICE!!! nt

[DENVERPOPS]

14. Did it include any Major Corporations

who grifted the money to pay all their executives a nice bonus??????????

Or Corporations who filed for money to continue paying their employees, and after getting the money, fired all the employees??????

[NoMoreRepugs]

15. Geez, I guess the DOJ hasn't been sitting on their thumbs??

[Hortensis]

19. Not since the trumpists lost power. A different meaning for (re)"weaponized."

[Brainfodder]

16. Now that is sexxah and should also scare a few in congress even, maybe?

[wolfie001]

17. Can't wait to see the results of this play out!

Greedy pilferers. F' em!!!