Reports

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged four Central Ohioans in a narcotics conspiracy involving bulk quantities of fentanyl, crack, cocaine and methamphetamine. Three of the four defendants have also been charged federally in a mail and wire fraud conspiracy related to illegally receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

The audit objectives of this report were to determine if: (1) expenditures claimed for CARES Act funding comply with the Act’s expense eligibility requirements; (2) documentary evidence support expenditures claimed for CARES Act funding; and, (3) CARES Act periodic reports are accurate. The expenditures tested comply with the CARES Act’s eligibility requirements, and there is documentary evidence to support these expenditures.

The review will determine: (a) how the Department is administering, recording, and reporting contractor paid leave reimbursements, (b) who is responsible for selecting the labor categories/positions that qualify and under what circumstances, and (c) the amount of contractor paid leave reimbursements under the CARES Act for the period examined.

A 37-year-old Houston resident is set to appear in federal court for her alleged submission of two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act

Tulsa– A Broken Arrow man pleaded guilty today for fraudulently applying for a Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

This operational audit of the Department of Economic Opportunity (Department) focused on evaluating selected information technology (IT) application and general controls applicable to the Reemployment Assistance Claims and Benefits Information System (RA System, also known as CONNECT) and following up on the findings noted in our report No. 2019-183, as applicable to the scope of this audit.

We have conducted a special review of the procurement and related use of COVID tests from LabGenomics, a foreign-based healthcare company. We also reviewed the circumstances surrounding the termination of two State employees after they had raised concerns related to the COVID tests. Our review was initiated based on a joint request from the chairs of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs and the House Health and Government Operations Committees for a review of two COVID-related emergency procurements.