DALLAS, TX – The long arm of the law is tightening around the throats of those who saw the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to line their pockets. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Erin Nealy Cox, announced a new partnership with the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) aimed squarely at investigating and prosecuting fraud related to the massive CARES Act relief package.
The CARES Act, a $2 trillion emergency measure passed by Congress, was designed to keep businesses afloat and families fed during the height of the pandemic. But as Cox bluntly stated, “scammers, fraudsters, and criminal actors are working overtime to illegally exploit this pandemic for profit.” This isn’t about bureaucratic oversight; it’s about outright theft from a nation already reeling.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and SIGPR isn’t just about sharing information. It’s a full-blown cooperative effort to dissect the flow of funds authorized under the CARES Act, scrutinizing loans, loan guarantees, and investments made by the Secretary of the Treasury. The goal? To identify those who manipulated the system for personal gain, and to bring them to justice. Officials stressed they aim to avoid hindering legitimate businesses seeking aid, but make no mistake – the focus is on the criminals.
SIGPR’s Brian D. Miller echoed Cox’s commitment. “We will bring to justice those who steal CARES Act money, and recover money for the taxpayers,” he declared. “Taxpayers should expect nothing less.” The partnership will streamline investigations, coordinate with regulators and law enforcement, and ensure resources are used efficiently. This isn’t a fishing expedition; it’s a targeted strike against those who preyed on a crisis.
To facilitate the flow of information, Deputy Chief Ken Coffin from the NDTX Civil Division and Fabio Leonardi from the Criminal Division will serve as direct liaisons to SIGPR. These Assistant U.S. Attorneys will be the go-to points of contact for any case-related inquiries. The feds are building a rapid-response team to tackle this growing problem.
If you suspect you’ve been a victim of CARES Act-related fraud, or have information about criminal activity, don’t stay silent. Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721. You can also report internet crimes to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The streets may be grim, but justice is still within reach – if you help the authorities find it.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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