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Covid 19 Fraud

All articles tagged with #covid 19 fraud

crime1 month ago•6 min saved

FBI Nabs High-Value COVID Fraud Fugitive in Jamaica, Returns Her to the U.S.

Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, is accused of a $32 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme; after fleeing to Jamaica under the alias Harley Newman, she was captured and returned to South Florida to face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Her arrest marks the fourth 'Most Wanted Fraudster' captured in five weeks as the FBI's crackdown has returned more than 30 high-value targets and nearly $1.8 billion in fraud proceeds.

via Fox News|

#covid-19-fraud #crime #fbi

nation3 months ago•5 min saved

Former Minnesota nonprofit head jailed for nearly 42 years in sweeping COVID-era fraud case

Aimee Bock, founder of Feeding Our Future, was sentenced to nearly 42 years in federal prison for leading a $250 million COVID-19 meal-fraud scheme tied to a statewide network of fake meal sites and kickbacks; prosecutors say it was the largest COVID-19 fraud in U.S. history, with related Medicaid fraud prosecutions continuing to unfold.

via PBS|

#aimee-bock #covid-19-fraud #feeding-our-future

crime2 years ago•4 min saved

Juror Dismissed After $120K Bribe Attempt in Food Program Fraud Trial

Federal authorities in Minnesota have detained seven defendants and confiscated their cellphones after a juror reported an attempted bribe involving $120,000 in cash to influence the outcome of a trial. The defendants are accused of stealing over $40 million from a pandemic food program meant for children. The incident led to the replacement of two jurors and has intensified the investigation into one of the largest COVID-19-related fraud cases in the U.S.

via PBS NewsHour|

#bribery #covid-19-fraud #crime

crime2 years ago•6 min saved

Covid-19 Fraudster Buys Private Island with Stolen Relief Aid

Patrick Parker Walsh, a Florida businessman, has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison for stealing nearly $8 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, which he used to purchase a private island in Florida. Walsh is one of thousands of thieves who potentially plundered over $280 billion in federal COVID-19 aid, representing close to 10% of the $4.3 trillion disbursed by the U.S. government to mitigate the economic devastation caused by the pandemic. The stolen funds were used to finance luxurious lifestyles, including purchases of houses, luxury watches, diamond jewelry, expensive cars, strip club visits, and vacations. The scale and scope of the fraud are immense, making it challenging for investigators to catch every crook. However, the U.S. Justice Department has created special strike forces to hunt down COVID-19 aid thieves and recover stolen funds.

via NBC News|

#covid-19-fraud #crime #federal-prison

crime2 years ago•7 min saved

COVID-19 Fraudster Buys Private Island with Stolen Relief Aid

Patrick Parker Walsh, a Florida businessman, has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison for stealing nearly $8 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, which he used to purchase a private island in Florida. Walsh is one of thousands of thieves who potentially plundered over $280 billion in federal COVID-19 aid, representing close to 10% of the total disbursed by the U.S. government. The stolen funds were used to finance lavish lifestyles, including luxury watches, expensive cars, strip club visits, and vacations. Nearly 3,200 defendants have been charged with COVID-19 relief fraud, and about $1.4 billion in stolen aid has been seized.

via ABC News|

#covid-19-fraud #crime #fraudsters

crime3 years ago•1 min saved

"DOJ Cracks Down on Covid Fraud: Over 300 Charged, $830 Million Recovered"

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged over 300 individuals in a nationwide sweep targeting more than $830 million in Covid-19 fraud. The DOJ filed criminal charges against 371 people and recovered $231 million in stolen money, with some defendants having connections to violent crime and transnational criminal networks. The charges include fraudulent applications for assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. The DOJ has established strike teams and task forces to recover stolen pandemic relief funds, resulting in criminal charges against over 3,000 individuals and the seizure of over $1.4 billion so far.

via CNBC|

#covid-19-fraud #crime #criminal-charges

crime3 years ago•1 min saved

DOJ cracks down on COVID fraud, charges hundreds in nationwide enforcement action

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged 371 individuals and launched two new COVID-19 fraud strike forces, as part of efforts to combat the alleged theft of over $800 million in coronavirus aid. Out of the defendants, 119 have pleaded guilty or been convicted, with over $57 million in court-ordered restitution imposed. Additionally, more than $231.4 million has been forfeited. The DOJ has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds and charged over 3,000 defendants. Two new strike forces have been launched in Colorado and New Jersey, adding to the existing three in California, Florida, and Maryland.

via The Hill|

#charges #covid-19-fraud #crime

crime3 years ago•5 min saved

Nationwide COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Yields Justice Department Results

The Justice Department has announced the results of a nationwide enforcement action against COVID-19 fraud, revealing 718 enforcement actions, including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants, for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud. The department has seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes. Two additional COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Forces have been launched in Colorado and New Jersey. The cases involve various types of fraud, including pandemic unemployment insurance benefit fraud and fraud against relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program.

via Department of Justice|

#covid-19-fraud #crime #criminal-charges