A federal grand jury indicted Illinois postal workers for allegedly stealing COVID-19 relief funds.
A release from the United States Attorney’s Office named 19 defendants involved in the scheme, ranging in age from 25-47. The fraud was related to the Paycheck Protection Program, enacted through the March 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, which was administered through the Small Business Administration.
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The release noted the 19 named defendants have all been arraigned or issued a summons to appear in federal court. They each face a maximum of 30 years in prison.
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The people were caught after an extensive investigation by a number of agencies, including the Secret Service, IRS, and FBI.
Fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds has reached worrying heights, according to some analyses. An investigation from the Government Accountability Office found that $100 billion to $135 billion in unemployment insurance issued during the pandemic was stolen.
