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In The News

2022

November

How to find data on millions and millions of pandemic federal funding awards
: Federal News Network

October

Coronavirus Roundup: HHS Awards $21 Million to Get Ready for New and Emerging Pathogens
: Government Executive
Federal prosecutor announces task force to target COVID-19 fraud in Idaho
: The Idaho Capital Sun
First PPP Loan False Claims Act Settlement: What it Could Mean for Future Cases
: The National Law Review
Pandemic-related fraud totaled billions. California is trying to get some of it back
: NPR
Covid Cons
: American Greed Podcast
The scope of pandemic relief fraud keeps on ballooning
: Federal News Network
‘Purported' Marblehead Monk, Lawyer Charged in $3.6 Million COVID Fraud Scheme: Prosecutors
: NBC News Boston
Data gaps make relief payments to WA officials hard to trace
: Crosscut
The Best Way to Protect Infrastructure Spending from Waste and Fraud Is to Set Up an Oversight Body—Right Now
: Government Executive

September

How to ensure that Biden’s great American road trip leads to a better future
: The Hill - Floor Action
OIG Finds Inconsistent Pandemic Response Data Collection at FEMA
: Homeland Security Today
Opinion Covid-19 relief was plagued by fraud. Here is the right response.
: The Washington Post
Feds charge 1,000 defendants in pandemic unemployment fraud investigation
: WCIV-TV
Pandemic broke down some, but not all barriers for IGs
: Federal News Network
Coronavirus Roundup: A CDC Team Is Honored for Its Vaccine Distribution Work
: Government Executive
U.S. watchdog estimates $45.6 billion in pandemic unemployment fraud
: The Washington Post
The Government's Long Game for Investigating COVID-era Relief Fraud
: The National Law Review
Sen. Durbin says his son was a victim of PPP fraud, calls for more oversight of federal COVID-19 funds
: Fox News
Coronavirus Roundup: New COVID Datasets and Strike Teams Are Targeting Fraud
: Government Executive
Justice Department announces COVID fraud strike force teams
: Fox Business Network
Ex-Thibodaux resident accused of filing fake papers seeking over $1 million in PPP loans
: The Daily Comet
Area counties total $78M in PPP loans
: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

August

Yes, the average forgiven PPP loan is far more than $20,000 student loan relief
: WMAZ-TV
Massive scale of pandemic fraud is a warning to prepare now, before the next crisis
: Chicago Sun-Times
'We're going to find you': Biden extends time government has to recover misused PPP funds
: WKRC-TV
The Billion Dollar Jobs Push Using ARPA Funds
: Route Fifty
Maine’s COVID fraud cases stand out for their small size
: Bangor Daily News
Biden Has Signed Bipartisan Legislation to Better Combat Fraud in COVID Relief Programs Into Law
: Government Executive

July

Recent PPP fraud cases may be prelude to more
: Keene Sentinel
The SBA Watchdog Says Data, Collaboration and Proper Controls Are Vital for COVID Oversight
: Government Executive
The Federal Committee Watching Over Pandemic Spending
: Route Fifty
Federal funds are building long-term data capacity in US cities
: Cities Today

June

How Cities and States are Gathering Data as They Spend Federal Aid
: Route Fifty
Rep. Clyburn Says US failed to stop fraud in COVID-19 loan program
: WTXL-TV
Pandemic Response Watchdogs Urge Agencies to Focus on ID Theft
: Government Executive
Pandemic Spending Oversight Body Cites More Lessons Learned
: FEDweek
Organized crime gangs looted COVID-relief programs of billions, feds say
: Newsday
COVID Oversight Officials Request More Time and Money to Ferret Out Fraud
: Government Executive
Investigation into government Covid relief distribution and potential mismanagement
: NBC News
Real estate agents got $3.9 billion in Covid relief PPP loans. The housing market boomed, but few repaid the loans.
: NBC News

May

Inspectors Ask For Authority To Go After More Covid Fraud
: Associated Press
‘A magnet for rip-off artists’: Fraud siphoned billions from pandemic unemployment benefits
: The Washington Post
COVID-19 relief fraud led to billions in taxpayer-funded Paycheck Protection Program loans lost
: Fox Business Network
PPP 2 years later: Analyzing the legacy and impact of the $800B government relief program
: Banking Dive

April

The White House Wants to Ensure Good Stewardship of Infrastructure Funds
: Government Executive
FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Prioritizes Effectiveness, Accountability, and Transparency in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Implementation
: The White House
Biden, federal watchdogs discuss infrastructure oversight
: Spectrum News | Madison
White House Issues Infrastructure Spending Implementation Guidance
: International Business Times
Crozer Health received $72M in relief funds during the pandemic
: Delaware County Daily Times
DOJ: Alleged COVID fraudsters charged after raking in nearly $150 million through elaborate schemes
: ABC News
Federal Pandemic Money Has Spurred Fraud. Tax Refunds Are Getting Filched.
: MarketWatch
Two Years of COVID-19 Oversight: A Look Back
: Government Executive
The Inspectors General COVID Committee Has an ‘Enormous Responsibility'
: Government Executive
Money from the COVID Paycheck Protection Program was allegedly largely misspent
: NPR
The $1.2 trillion in infrastructure spending needs oversight
: The Hill
The Fleecing of America: Looting the Paycheck Protection Program
: WHEC

March

Rep. Connolly Prepping Bill to Cut Feds’ Soaring Improper Payments
: MeriTalk News
'Biggest fraud in a generation': The looting of the Covid relief plan known as PPP
: NBC News
Billions in pandemic relief funds lost to fraud
: NBC News
Fraudsters swiped billions by targeting COVID-19 relief money
: WBAL-AM
How different priorities in Northland counties affected CARES Act spending
: Kansas City Beacon
There's no final number yet for pandemic fraud, oversight leaders tell Congress
: FCW
Coronavirus Roundup: A New COVID-19 Response Coordinator, New Reentry Guidance for Defense Civilians
: Government Executive
Feds have recovered less than 1% of $163 billion in bogus unemployment benefits
: The Washington Times
Feds have recovered less than 1% of $163 billion in bogus unemployment benefits
: Washington Times
Pandemic relief oversight sheds new light on persistent gaps in federal spending data | Federal News Network
: Federal News Network
Federal Officials Discuss How to Make COVID Oversight More Effective
: Government Executive
Federal Officials Discuss Making COVID and Future Oversight More Effective
: Government Executive
Pandemic relief oversight sheds new light on persistent gaps in federal spending data
: Federal News Network
One year on, Biden's COVID relief bill is 90% dispensed (spectrumnews1.com)
: Spectrum News,
DOJ finds more than $8 billion in COVID aid fraud
: The Hill
Are you covering the American Rescue Plan Act? ‘It’s a huge deal.
: Poynter
Checking receipts: How the richest county in Kansas spent $124.3 million in CARES Act funds
: Kansas City Beacon
As lab owners buy luxury cars, Biden tightens oversight of $5 trillion in COVID 19 relief
: Yahoo! News
Fact Sheet: President Biden to Announce New Steps to Combat Criminal Fraud and Identity Theft in Pandemic Relief Programs
: The White House
Biden Uses the State of the Union to Call Feds Back to Their Offices and for Increased Government Oversight
: Government Executive

February

Pandemic fraud is running rampant
: WCNC
An unusual number of U.S. households are behind on utility bills
: Poynter
Immense fraud creates immense task for Washington as it tries to tighten scrutiny of $6 trillion in emergency coronavirus spending
: Washington Post
Tracking COVID relief spending in Wyandotte County: How $37.3 million was spent
: Kansas City Beacon

January

Tens of millions of dollars from state unemployment fraud likely won’t be recovered
: Seattle Times
No easy fix for ID verification of government benefits
: FCW
Coronavirus Roundup: CDC Data Show Booster Effectiveness Against Omicron; the Pandemic’s Impact on Biden’s Regulatory Agenda
: Government Executive
With an increase in federal payouts comes an increase in improper payments
: Federal News Network
Here's how Kansas City spent $32 million CARES Act money
: Kansas City Beacon
White House Renews Efforts to Improve Integrity of Federal Payments
: Government Executive

2021

December

EBB Providing Aid to Low-Income Households, Outreach Challenges Still Exist
: MeriTalk
Oversight report explains how fraudsters obtained billions in COVID unemployment money | KVAL
: KVAL
Federal Watchdog Scopes States' Woes With UI Systems in Pandemic
: MeriTalk
Baltimore woman used fake documents to get $1.6 million in COVID relief funds, fed say
: Baltimore Sun
The U.S. has spent most of its Covid relief funding, but there are still billions left to dole out
: CNBC
Getting a Return on Swelling Savings
: Lane Report
OMB tells agencies to cooperate with IGs overseeing COVID-19 spending
: Federal News Network
White House Releases 'Unprecedented’ Guidance to Agencies on Cooperating With Watchdogs
: Government Executive

November

Coronavirus Roundup: The Federal Response to the Omicron Variant
: Government Executive

October

Federal watchdog calls out transparency issues in pandemic spending
: FCW
Americans Love Meat So Much That Butchers, Processing Plants And Farms Received $84 Million In Pandemic Aid
: Forbes
The Daily Scoop Podcast
: FedScoop
Governments Face Soaring Costs Burying Poor and Unclaimed Dead
: Route Fifty

September

Why some small towns are rejecting federal COVID relief funds
: Pew Stateline
State and local governments still have $10B from COVID fund
: Government Technology
Hazards of self-certification and other lessons learned from federal government’s pandemic response
: Federal News Network
Government watchdog finds pandemic relief fraud potentially worth billions
: ABC News
Billions paid in fraudulent virus aid, pandemic watchdog finds
: Bloomberg News

August

Who’s minding the store on COVID-19 relief spending?
: Press Herald
Auditors warn of risks to agencies in stepped-up spending due to pandemic
: FEDWeek

July

This week in federal funding: Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
: Route Fifty

June

Can Congress take back California’s COVID relief? Senators want to try in infrastructure deal
: Sacramento Bee

May

Oversight leader says volume of datasets ‘biggest challenge’ in COVID-19 fraud prevention
: FedScoop
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