$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 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

More Worthy News

Britain and Germany Sign Defense Treaty Amid Uncertainty Over Trump
Britain and Germany Sign Defense Treaty Amid Uncertainty Over Trump
Friday, July 18, 2025

Britain and Germany signed a landmark treaty Thursday to provide each other defense assistance and closer cooperation on migration, amid European concerns over U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s “America First” stance.

Christians Targeted in Indonesia’s West Java as Mobs Attack Homes and Churches
Christians Targeted in Indonesia’s West Java as Mobs Attack Homes and Churches
Friday, July 18, 2025

Christians in Indonesia’s West Java province are reeling from mob attacks carried out by Muslim hardliners seeking to prevent church services and halt the construction of places of worship.

Mass Baptism in Bournemouth Seen as Sign of Revival in Britain
Mass Baptism in Bournemouth Seen as Sign of Revival in Britain
Friday, July 18, 2025

A mass sea baptism involving five churches and 92 believers has drawn national attention in Britain. Christians call it a powerful sign of a “quiet revival” spreading nationwide.

Tensions Flare in Spain as Anti-Migrant Clashes Rock Torre Pacheco
Tensions Flare in Spain as Anti-Migrant Clashes Rock Torre Pacheco
Friday, July 18, 2025

Moroccan community leaders in the southeastern town of Torre Pacheco have called for calm after four nights of violent clashes between North African migrants and far-right protesters.

U.S. Officials Confirm Fordow Nuclear Facility ‘Obliterated,’ While Questions Remain Over Isfahan and Natanz
U.S. Officials Confirm Fordow Nuclear Facility ‘Obliterated,’ While Questions Remain Over Isfahan and Natanz
Thursday, July 17, 2025

A new U.S. intelligence assessment reveals that last month’s airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure largely succeeded in destroying the heavily fortified Fordow enrichment facility, while only partially damaging two other sites–Isfahan and Natanz–raising concerns over Iran’s ability to resume uranium enrichment within months.

Israel Defends Syrian Druze Amid Sweida Bloodbath; Erdogan Condemns Strikes as ‘Terrorism’
Israel Defends Syrian Druze Amid Sweida Bloodbath; Erdogan Condemns Strikes as ‘Terrorism’
Thursday, July 17, 2025

Israel has launched a forceful military intervention in southern Syria aimed at protecting the embattled Druze minority, after more than 500 people were killed in four days of bloody conflict in the province of As-Suwayda. The fighting, sparked by sectarian tensions between Druze militias, Bedouin tribal fighters, and Syrian regime forces, was intensified by alleged atrocities against Druze civilians–prompting Israel to act.

Netanyahu Government Teeters as Shas Ministers Resign over Ultra-Orthodox Draft Dispute, Coalition Reduced to 60 Seats
Netanyahu Government Teeters as Shas Ministers Resign over Ultra-Orthodox Draft Dispute, Coalition Reduced to 60 Seats
Thursday, July 17, 2025

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition plunged into deeper crisis Wednesday as the ultra-Orthodox Shas party announced its ministers were resigning from the government in protest of the failure to pass legislation exempting yeshiva students from military service. The move, while not an official departure from the coalition, further weakens Netanyahu’s grip on power, reducing his effective support in the Knesset to just 60 out of 120 members.