This news story is about the numerous criminal charges that have been brought against people accused of using COVID-19 relief funds for personal gain. Prosecutors allege that some of the money was used to buy a farm in Vermont with alpacas, a Rolls Royce, luxury apartments, and charter a private jet. The sheer scope, magnitude, and brazenness of fraud related to the relief funds is shocking even to longtime prosecutors who handle white-collar crime cases. The US Congress has extended the statute of limitations from five to ten years to give prosecutors more time to build cases against suspected fraudsters. The Justice Department has identified over 69,000 questionable Social Security numbers that were used to obtain $5.4 billion in pandemic loans and grants. In Massachusetts, federal charges have been brought against more than 65 people in cases involving a total loss of about $32 million. The criminal cases will continue to be a priority for years to come. Judges have been ordering substantial prison terms for some defendants convicted of pandemic-related fraud to send a message.
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