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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that more than $2.5 million was collected from a real estate developer and part-time resident of Vancouver, Washington, for fraudulently obtained Covid-relief program funds.

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.

Tacoma – A disbarred attorney, sentenced last year to 18 months in prison for stealing money from a deceased client’s estate and defrauding a friend, is now charged by information with wire fraud and making false statements in connection with a scheme to illegally claim COVID pandemic benefits, and with lying to the government about her income, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman

Seattle – One of two Nigerian citizens residing in Canada, who allegedly defrauded the pandemic unemployment benefit programs in multiple states, will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle this afternoon at 2:00 PM.

Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced criminal charges against two defendants in connection with millions of dollars in fraud prosecuted in the Eastern District

The Department of Justice today announced criminal charges against 18 defendants in nine federal districts across the United States for their alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving health care services that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and allegedly resulted in over $490 million in COVID-19 related false billings to federal programs and theft from federally funded pandemic programs.

In our Financial Statements and Federal Single Audit, we identified, among other things, that during fiscal year 2021, Kitsap County spent $8,109,337 and $4,695,965 in CRF and ERA program funds, respectively. To fulfill components of both programs’ objectives, the County passed $6,548,816 in CRF and $4,664,258 in ERA funds through to subrecipients to provide emergency rental assistance to eligible households. The subrecipients were responsible for determining which households were eligible to receive funds and then providing assistance to them. The County requested and obtained supporting...

In our Financial Statements and Federal Single Audit, we identified, among other things, that Douglas County did not have adequate internal controls to ensure it used Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program funds for allowable purposes and for costs incurred within the period of performance. Douglas County charged $276,530 in unallowable costs to the SLFRF program for road project costs that were incurred outside of the period of performance. As a result, we are questioning these costs.

In our Financial Statements and Federal Single Audit, we identified, among other things, that Island County spent $2,656,126 in CRF program funds during fiscal 2021, and passed $1,156,108 of these funds to two subrecipients who operated assistance programs. Island County also spent $2,681,211 in ERA funds during fiscal year 2021, and passed $2,638,164 of these funds to four subrecipients to provide emergency rental assistance to eligible households. Island County did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring it included all subaward information in two new subrecipient contracts for the...

Tacoma – A 45-year-old resident of Lekki, Nigeria, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 5 years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his attempt to steal nearly $2.4 million from the United States government, including approximately $500,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

Tacoma – A former employee of Washington State’s Employment Security Department (ESD) was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to five years in prison for three federal felonies for his scheme to exploit his employment for personal enrichment and to fraudulently distribute at least $360,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown

Through this report, we identified several state departments, including the Washington State Office of Management, Department of Commerce, and Department of Social and Health Services, that did not have adequate internal controls, nor comply with certain requirements, for Coronavirus Relief Funds

Tacoma – A former employee of Washington State’s Employment Security Department pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to three federal felonies for his scheme to exploit his employment for personal enrichment and to fraudulently distribute at least $360,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

Seattle – A 28-year-old New York City man was indicted this week in the Western District of Washington for three counts of bank fraud related to his abuse of the COVID-19 Pandemic Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

Tacoma – A 45-year-old resident of Lekki, Nigeria, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for using stolen identities to claim hundreds of thousands of dollars in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

Tacoma - A former Port Angeles, Washington, naturopathic physician was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 8 months in prison and one year of supervised release for a federal felony related to his misbranding, and sale in interstate commerce, of products he claimed could prevent and treat numerous serious diseases, including COVID-19 and MRSA, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Brown.

Seattle – A Redmond, Washington, man who held himself out as a biotech expert was sentenced today in federal court for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

Seattle – A former Seattle doctor was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 4 years in prison for fraudulently seeking over $3.5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) COVID-19 relief funds.

On October 27, 2020, the Employment Security Department (ESD) notified our Office regarding a potential loss of public funds, as required by state law. Our investigation determined a misappropriation of unemployment insurance benefit funds occurred at ESD, totaling $315,282, and that ESD made an additional $121,503 in questionable payments related to this situation between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. ESD also referred the case to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for investigation.

A federal jury convicted a Seattle doctor yesterday of fraudulently seeking over $3.5 million and obtaining over $2.8 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) COVID-19 relief funds.

Seattle – A Seattle area pair was indicted today in the Western District of Washington, for more than $1 million in fraud on COVID-19 relief programs, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

Tacoma – A former employee of Washington State’s Employment Security Department has been charged in a 20-count indictment for his scheme to exploit his employment for personal enrichment and to fraudulently distribute at least $360,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.