$100 Million in COVID-Era Unemployment Fraud Targeted by Republicans

By Thérèse Boudreaux | The Center Square

(Worthy News) – Legislation that would give the U.S. Department of Justice more time to track down and punish pandemic-era unemployment insurance (UI) fraud is on its way to the U.S. House floor.

The Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., provides a five-year extension on the statute of limitations for criminally prosecuting those who committed CARES Act related UI fraud.

According to the DOJ, there are still 157,000 open UI fraud complaints and 1,648 open investigations. If no congressional action is taken, the current statute will expire on March 27, leaving thousands of Americans unreimbursed for stolen benefits and potentially hundreds of fraudsters would be let off the hook.

“Given the volume of existing cases currently under investigation, there is no reason that Congress should not act to ensure law enforcement stays on this beat and goes after these criminals,” Smith told lawmakers. “If we don’t extend the statute of limitations, every one of these investigations will end and those that perpetrated the greatest theft of taxpayer dollars in American history will not be brought to justice.”

While the Government Accountability Office estimates that upwards of $100 billion in unemployment benefits were lost to fraud during the pandemic, only $5 billion have been recovered.

“Fraudsters ran rampant during COVID, taking advantage of states like California that had weak fraud protections in their unemployment insurance systems,” U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, R-Ind., a member of the Ways and Means Committee, said. “We can’t let them off the hook by letting the statute of limitations expire.”

Currently, more than 2,000 individuals have been charged with, and over 1,400 convicted of, unemployment insurance fraud since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The bill has 25 cosponsors, all Republican, and is part of the GOP’s efforts to address waste, fraud, and abuse connected to the federal government.

Reprinted with permission from The Center Square.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

More Worthy News

Dutch Singer Lenny Kuhr Leaving Netherlands Citing Rising Antisemitism (Worthy News In-Depth)
Dutch Singer Lenny Kuhr Leaving Netherlands Citing Rising Antisemitism (Worthy News In-Depth)
Thursday, May 7, 2026

Lenny Kuhr, the Dutch Jewish singer-songwriter who was among the winners of the world’s largest televised song contest and influenced generations with heartfelt chansons, is leaving her native Netherlands, citing rising antisemitism.

China Frees Christian Leaders After Years In Prison As Pressure On Churches Continues
China Frees Christian Leaders After Years In Prison As Pressure On Churches Continues
Thursday, May 7, 2026

China has freed the last two church leaders detained for nearly four years following a controversial police raid on a Christian gathering, amid ongoing concerns over religious persecution.

Trump Calls for National Shabbat Observance During America’s 250th Celebration
Trump Calls for National Shabbat Observance During America’s 250th Celebration
Thursday, May 7, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Jewish Americans — and citizens of all backgrounds — to observe a national Shabbat from sundown on May 15 through nightfall on May 16 as part of Jewish American Heritage Month and the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.

Israel Strikes Hezbollah Commander in Beirut as Lebanon
Israel Strikes Hezbollah Commander in Beirut as Lebanon
Thursday, May 7, 2026

Israel carried out a major airstrike in Beirut on Wednesday night, killing a senior commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force in the first strike on the Lebanese capital since before the ceasefire took effect last month.

New Satellite Images Show Iran Expanding Defenses Around Esfahan Nuclear Tunnel Complex
New Satellite Images Show Iran Expanding Defenses Around Esfahan Nuclear Tunnel Complex
Thursday, May 7, 2026

New high-resolution satellite images from Airbus taken on April 8, 2026, reveal that Iran has significantly expanded defensive measures around the underground tunnel complex at the Esfahan Nuclear Complex, a site believed to house much of the regime’s highly enriched uranium stockpile.

Vance Says Task Force Found 186,000 Dead People Receiving Food Stamps
Vance Says Task Force Found 186,000 Dead People Receiving Food Stamps
Thursday, May 7, 2026

Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that a federal anti-fraud task force launched by President Donald Trump has uncovered widespread abuse within the nation’s food assistance system, including nearly 186,000 deceased individuals allegedly still receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Saudi Pressure Reportedly Forced Trump to Pause Strait of Hormuz Escort Mission
Saudi Pressure Reportedly Forced Trump to Pause Strait of Hormuz Escort Mission
Thursday, May 7, 2026

A new report from NBC Newsclaims that President Donald Trump was forced to pause the U.S. military’s “Project Freedom” operation in the Strait of Hormuz after pressure from Saudi Arabia and Gulf allies threatened critical American military access in the region.