Following a statewide investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the US Justice Department has revealed that hundreds of people have been accused of stealing more than $830 million in COVID-19 emergency relief.
The government claimed that more than 60 of the suspects had alleged ties to organized crime, including members of a group suspected of using pandemic aid that was allegedly stolen 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.
The government claimed that more than 60 of the suspects had alleged ties to organized crime, including members of a group suspected of using pandemic aid that was allegedly stolen 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.
