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A San Fernando Valley man was arrested today on federal charges alleging he and his business partner fraudulently obtained more than $1.95 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for their companies by submitting fake tax documents and false employee information, and then transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars of the funds into their personal bank accounts.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Casey David Crowther (35, North Fort Myers) with two counts of bank fraud, two counts of making a false statement to a lending institution, and three counts of illegal monetary transactions. If convicted on all counts, Crowther faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each bank fraud and false statement count, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each illegal monetary transaction count. The indictment also notifies Crowther that the United States intends to...

The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s (PRAC) first Semiannual Report to Congress, covering the period from April 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses special challenges for victims of domestic violence. Because of economic and other uncertainties surrounding the pandemic and the shelter-in-place orders in effect for most States, abusers may exert further power and control over their partners. Victims in these States are more socially isolated and have fewer opportunities to connect with others who may be able to assist them. Isolated victims may be less likely to use crisis hotlines because their abusers are close by, and victims may face repercussions if they reach out for help. For fiscal year 2020, the...

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS implemented a number of waivers and flexibilities that allowed Medicare beneficiaries to access a wider range of telehealth services without having to travel to a health care facility. This review will be based on Medicare Parts B and C data and will identify program integrity risks associated with Medicare telehealth services during the pandemic. We will analyze providers' billing patterns for telehealth services. We will also describe key characteristics of providers that may pose a program integrity risk to the Medicare program.

This audit will look at the quality of data reported in selected President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programs to determine if weaknesses exist that may lead to inaccurate results reporting. The objectives of this audit are to assess the extent to which USAID has: (1) designed and implemented internal controls over collecting, verifying, and reporting PEPFAR data; and (2) identified and mitigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on its internal controls over PEPFAR data quality.

A Dallas-area man was charged in an indictment filed Thursday for his alleged participation in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking approximately $24.8 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

A Northridge man pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge that he fraudulently obtained $655,000 in Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans for his companies by submitting fake tax documents and false employee information.

Seven individuals across two states were charged in an indictment unsealed today for their alleged participation in a scheme to obtain approximately $16 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Seven individuals across two states have been charged in a Houston federal indictment unsealed today for their alleged participation in a scheme to obtain approximately $16 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans

Two brothers and their wives have been charged in a federal grand jury indictment alleging a scheme to submit at least 35 fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $5.6 million in COVID-19 relief loans authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Evaluate controls implemented by the IRS to ensure the $765.7 million in appropriated funds received for its Coronavirus response is adequately tracked and used for its intended purpose.

Two Houston area men have been charged for attempting to fraudulently sell 50 million non-existent N95 facemasks to a foreign government

A commissioned study that identifies gaps in federal data sources and how we can close them to improve the quality of the information we provide to the public.

Nicholas Milano White, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charges of conspiracy to steal mail, emergency benefits fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

A project manager employed by a major retailer was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for fraudulently seeking more than $8 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma.

A Little Rock woman pleaded guilty to bank fraud this afternoon after fraudulently obtaining nearly $2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans intended to provide relief for small businesses affected by COVID-19.

A Pasadena man is scheduled to be arraigned today on federal charges alleging he used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits, which he later used to purchase a Maserati luxury SUV.

TULSA, Okla. – Two men were charged this week after fraudulently applying for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

The chief executive officer (CEO) of a California-based medical device company was indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud investors by making false and misleading statements about the purported development of a new COVID-19 test, leading to millions of dollars in investor losses.

A Riverside County woman pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for fraudulently obtaining more than $500,000 in COVID-related unemployment benefits for herself.

The owners of over a dozen New York-area pharmacies were charged in an indictment unsealed today for their roles in a $30 million health care fraud and money laundering scheme, in which they exploited emergency codes and edits in the Medicare system that went into effect due to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to submit fraudulent claims for expensive cancer drugs that were never provided, ordered, or authorized by medical professionals.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has seized “mordernatx.com” and “regeneronmedicals.com,” which purported to be the websites of actual biotechnology companies developing treatments for the COVID-19 virus, but instead appears to have been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the sites, in order to use the information for nefarious purposes, including fraud, phishing attacks, and/or deployment of malware. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another...

BOSTON – A married couple was arrested last night in Texas on federal fraud charges arising from their claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds. The defendants previously served jail time.

BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with selling a lanyard that falsely claimed to protect against viruses.

Seattle — A respiratory therapist at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Seattle was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three months in prison and nine months of home confinement for theft of government property, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.

Federal prosecutors have charged a Miami nurse with fraud and other crimes in a criminal complaint that accuses him of lying on coronavirus relief loan applications and fraudulently obtaining close to half a million dollars in relief money intended to help small businesses survive disasters like the current pandemic.

The CARES Act provides GSA with $295.15M to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 domestically or internationally. The GSA OIG will monitor GSA’s implementation of the CARES Act, and issue alert reports as necessary to advise management of potential problems, including any internal control issues. As significant risks or concerns are identified, the OIG will conduct additional audit assignments to address them specifically and in more detail.

The Office of Inspector General Audits Division will be conducting an evaluation to determine whether SBA has effective oversight to ensure the Resource Partner Associations implement the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and grant requirements.

Onsite surveys of nursing homes are a fundamental safeguard to ensure that nursing home residents are safe and receive high-quality care. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, CMS directed State Survey Agencies (SSAs) to suspend standard onsite surveys and most onsite surveys for complaints. CMS directed SSAs to conduct onsite surveys in response to the most serious complaints (i.e., those involving immediate jeopardy) and complaints related to infection control, and to conduct targeted infection control surveys, which are abbreviated surveys focused on infection...

This work will examine the effectiveness of HHS controls over the awarding and disbursement of $50 billion in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments to hospitals and other providers. We will obtain data and interview program officials to gain an understanding of how PRF payments were calculated and review PRF payments for compliance with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act requirements. Among other things, we will seek to determine whether HHS controls over PRF payments ensured that payments were correctly calculated and disbursed to eligible providers.

An ongoing review of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic and oversight of related spending.

We plan to begin this audit in May 2020. The objective of this audit is to assess DoD’s implementation of section 3610 as authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, including whether contracting officers properly authorized and reimbursed contractor costs. We may revise the objective as the audit proceeds, and will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives.

The United States faces two simultaneous nationwide public health emergencies: the opioid epidemic and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Recently released Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data identified that in 2018, there were nearly 47,000 opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States. In addition, as of May 28, 2020, over 100,000 U.S. citizens had died from complications related to COVID-19. Because of the widespread transmission of COVID-19, Federal, State, Tribal, and local government agencies have recommended and implemented extensive community mitigation...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated that individuals at high risk for severe illness from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are people aged 65 years and older and those who live in a nursing home. Currently, more than 1.3 million residents live in approximately 15,450 Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes in the United States. As of February 2020, State Survey Agencies have cited more than 6,600 of these nursing homes (nearly 43 percent) for infection prevention and control program deficiencies, including lack of a correction plan in place for these...