To combat the abuse of Covid-19 relief efforts, the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has established a task force to root out pandemic-driven fraud.
U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland directed the DoJ to establish the Covid-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to coordinate the U.S. government’s fight against fraud stemming from efforts to alleviate the effects of the pandemic.
The task force will step up efforts to investigate and prosecute both foreign and domestic fraudsters, and will seek to recover stolen funds. It will also work with other agencies administering ongoing pandemic relief efforts to prevent fraud in these programs.
“The Department of Justice will use every available federal tool — including criminal, civil, and administrative actions — to combat and prevent Covid-19 related fraud,” Garland said in a memo announcing the task force.
Along with the DoJ and the FBI, various government agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security, have been invited to join the task force.