Summary of article from Morrison Foerster, by Adam Braverman, Kate Driscoll, Kamran Jamil, Brian Kidd, Nathaniel Mendell:
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released a comprehensive report on the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, calling for an extension of the statute of limitations for pandemic fraud-related offenses and increased funding for investigations and prosecutions. Since May 2021, the Task Force has charged over 3,500 defendants, recovered more than $1.4 billion in government funds, and filed over 400 civil suits. The report highlights cases involving False Claims Act liability, primarily related to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and COVID-19 testing claims. The DOJ is seeking to establish a permanent interagency body to combat government benefits fraud. The report also calls for legislation to extend time limits for charging pandemic-related fraud cases and further resource fraud investigations.