#relief fraud

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“MEMBER ARRESTED ON FRAUD CHARGES,” Kingston Whig-Standard. October 29, 1932. Page 1. ---- Newfoundland MP Faces Charges With Regard to the Dole --- ST. JOHN'S, Nlfd. Oct. 29— Roland Starkes, opposition member for White Bay in the Newfoundland Legislature, was arrested last night on seventeen charges of fraud in connection with distribution of relief to the unemployed. 

His arrest followed an investigation conducted by Police-Sergeant Russell, who charged in his information that Starke had fraudulently signed dole receipts during a period of several months.

Arraigned in the magistrate's court, Starkes was released on bail of $10,000.

Roland Starkes and F. G. Bradley, member for Humber, were the only supporters of former Premier Sir Richard Squires returned in the June elections when Prime Minister F. C. Alderdice was swept into power.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The Biden administration announced a series of measures Thursday to track down and punish fraudsters who scammed billions of taxpayer dollars that were supposed to provide relief to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden is pledging $1.6 billion to bolster law enforcement manpower and new programs that will be used to prosecute scammers, prevent fraud, and provide assistance to victims of identity theft.

“We want to not only capture them and get their funds, we want to send a signal to them that you can run, but you cannot hide,” said Gene Sperling, a Biden senior adviser who is overseeing the implementation of the COVID-relief plan.

THE LATEST

• The administration’s plans call for creating 10 Department of Justice “strike forces” that will include U.S. attorneys and other law enforcement officials to investigate COVID-relief fraud and help recover stolen tax dollars. The teams will target criminal syndicates and other major fraudsters. Three strike forces already are in place and have recovered millions of dollars in stolen relief funds, officials said.

• The administration also will propose increasing the statute of limitations to 10 years for fraud involving the pandemic Unemployment Insurance program, which has been hit especially hard by scammers.

• Some $300 million will be distributed to inspectors general at the Small Business Administration, the Department of Labor and the staff of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, a government watchdog over pandemic spending. The money would be used to hire investigators and make sure they have the resources needed to pursue specialized cases of pandemic fraud.

• In his proposed budget to be released next week, Biden will offer a package of legislative reforms to prevent, detect and recover payments made improperly through the Unemployment Insurance program.

• Federal grants would be made to states to help modernize their information technology systems to enable them to respond more quickly to fraud, decrease erroneous payments and provide more efficient claims processing.

• New initiatives also would be put in place to identify victims of identity theft, including an early warning system to stop potentially fraudulent transactions before they occur and a one-stop shop to report identity crimes.

WHY IT MATTERS

The federal government distributed more than $5 trillion in pandemic relief under programs approved by Biden and former President Donald Trump. The money was distributed quickly, leading to an increase in fraud and other improper payments, such as those that shouldn’t have been made or were made in the wrong amount.

The Government Accountability Office reported last month that the extent of fraud in COVID-relief programs is not yet known but that the Unemployment Insurance program alone was believed to have made more than $60 billion in fraudulent payments.

From March 2020 to last January, at least 1,044 people pleaded guilty or were convicted of defrauding COVID relief programs, the GAO report said. Federal charges were pending against another 609 individuals or entities for attempting to defraud COVID-relief programs.

Also, the federal government gave $5.4 billion in COVID aid to small businesses with “questionable” Social Security numbers, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee reported in January. The watchdog identified nearly 70,000 questionable Social Security numbers used to obtain pandemic aid from two programs run by the Small Business Administration.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Republican-led House Oversight and Accountability Committee has opened an investigation into fraud in COVID-relief programs. The committee held its first hearing on the subject last month.

Sperling, however, said the administration’s anti-fraud package isn’t a direct response to the GOP investigations. Most of the proposals were being prepared before last November’s election, he said.

[uboat53]

Anyone else notice that all of the MAGA people who are constantly accusing everyone else of breaking the law… are always breaking the law?

Just me?

[j-august]

Amanda Foreman, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

[skjam]

Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #499

Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #499 edited by Carl Gafford & Nicola Cuti I managed to find another issue of the digest-sized Adventure Comics from 1983. Let’s take a look at the treasures inside! Cover by Gil Kane “Plastic Man” (no chapter title) written by Len Wein, art by Joe Staton and Bob Smith features the obvious character. Plastic Man was Eel O’Brien, a petty criminal, before he…

[newspatron]

Shocked by the Shubham Gupta Cow Scam? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below! Let's fight corruption together! 💪🇮🇳

The Never-Ending Saga of Scams Just when we thought the dust had settled on the IAS Pooja Khedkar controversy, another scandal has reared its ugly head in India’s administrative circles. This time, it’s the “Shubham Gupta Cow Scam,” and it’s got everyone talking. 🐄💰 The Never-Ending Saga of ScamsUnraveling the Milch Cow Distribution Scam 🐄🔍Accusations GaloreModus Operandi: The Art of the…

[ifataxus]

Unlock the Benefits of Expert Tax Services and Why You Need Them on Your Side

A foremost advantage will therefore be the help of professional tax services. In this regard, some of the basic things that this blog post seeks to discuss are the benefits of availing of Expert Tax Services, what to look for in a tax expert, and how the use of these services will directly impact your overall financial situation.

[svalleynow]

Stevenson, AL woman charged in COVID scheme gets 14 months and must repay $120,025

Stevenson, Alabama woman charged in COVID scheme gets 14 months and must repay $120,025...

A Stevenson, Alabama woman was sentenced to 14-months in prison on Wednesday after conviction from her involvement in a scheme to defraud COVID-19 unemployment programs in multiple states. 29-year-old Randa Faye Allison appeared before Judge Curtis L. Collier in Chattanooga on Wednesday for sentencing. As part of the filed plea agreement with the court, the Department of Justice says Allison pled…

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"JAIL PENALTY FOR OBTAINING AID BY FRAUD," Winnipeg Tribune. July 11, 1933. Page 1. ---- "This is the very sort of case I have been trying to stop for some time," declared Magistrate Graham, in city police court today, when sentencing William J. Robbins. alias McInnes, to three months in jail for defrauding the city relief department.

Robbins pleaded guilty to obtaining food vouchers to the value of $118 and $98 cash by fraud. The court was told that Robbins, who has a wife and eight children living out of the city, was obtaining relief while living with another woman. When authorities discovered he was not married to this woman he was taken off relief. He then re- registered under the name of McInnes and again began getting re- lief for himself and the woman he was living with.

[marciodpaulla-blog]

How to Know if it's Really the IRS Contacting You

Know IRS contacts protocols for mail, calls, visits to avoid scams demanding payment or making threats. Report suspicious communications claiming to be tax authority.

The IRS contacts taxpayers in various ways, including by phone, mail, and in-person visits. However, scammers also often impersonate the IRS to try to get money or personal information from victims. It’s important for taxpayers to understand how the real IRS operates so they can identify any suspicious communications that may be IRS imposters. The IRS Primarily Uses Mail for Legitimate…

[lovphobic]

im sure itll hit me in an hour or two but despite how shitty i slept i actualyl dont feel too tired rn. i mean the last time i saw THAT I TRUST....... was like 1:30am?? on my phone. so idk when the clock fucked up SO i dont know how long i actually slept for. but i know i kept waking up and shit because MY JAW HURT????? it still kinda does but its only Kinda now bc of acetaminophen i love u babygirl

[headlinehorizon]

The Great COVID-19 Aid Grift: Millions Stolen, Luxury Island Bought, and Justice Sought

Renowned Florida businessman Patrick Parker Walsh sentenced to federal prison for stealing $8 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Uncovering the shocking scale of pandemic fraud and the audacious spending of thieves. The latest news on the government's pursuit of justice.

[tomorrowusa]

Is anybody up for some Schadenfreude?

Anecdotally it seems that the percentage of crooks and sex offenders is higher among high-profile homophobes and hate mongers in general.

Joe Harding is a former member of the Florida legislature and an ally of Ron DeSantis. Harding sponsored the state's "don't say gay" bill. He's now going to federal prison for fraud.

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced to prison a former Florida state legislator who catapulted to national attention for being the sponsor of a bill barring classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity that was called by its critics the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Former Rep. Joe Harding (R-Williston), who plead guilty in March to one count each of wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain a $150,000 federal Covid-19 relief loan, was sentenced to four months in prison. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, also sentenced Harding to two years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Court records show that Harding is scheduled to surrender to authorities on Jan. 29.

Four months is a relatively light term. But I suppose they need to make room for Donald Trump and his co-conspirators in federal prison next year.

Sadly, Harding's conviction doesn't erase his dirty work in the Florida legislature.

Titled “Parental Rights in Education,” the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill Harding sponsored was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022. It led to national condemnation from Democrats and LGBTQ supporters and a high profile battle between the governor and the Walt Disney Co., whose CEO at the time criticized the legislation.

[jeff-davis]

SCHOOL DEBT RELIEF OR FRAUD

Play → SCHOOL DEBT RELIEF OR FRAUD

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