Acting US Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced an update on the Office’s enforcement efforts to combat COVID-19 related fraud, including schemes targeting the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and Unemployment Insurance programs, and schemes involving the price-gouging and hoarding of critical personal protective equipment. In the past year, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey has charged 18 defendants, including individuals and companies, with offenses based on fraud schemes, price-gouging, hoarding, and other crimes connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Exploitation of the global pandemic for illicit financial gain victimizes consumers, taxpayers, and federal programs alike,” Acting US Attorney Honig said. “We are working with our law enforcement partners to investigate these schemes and bring to justice all those who would try to take advantage of the programs established by Congress to help America through the pandemic. We will vigorously pursue anyone trying to steal from those programs, engage in the hoarding or price-gouging of necessary personal protective equipment, or otherwise defraud the public.”
