COOTIES FRAUD: BIGGEST GRIFT in U.S. HISTORY??
It's the G(R)IFT that just keeps giving!
A troubling number of opportunists seized the chance to manipulate cooties-relief programs to scam and steal, while small businesses crumbled and families struggled.
Looking up "covid relief funds fraud" on Google will give you an idea of the scope of the corruption in these so-called "relief" initiatives. Billions of dollars intended to be a lifeline for struggling businesses and individuals have been misappropriated by unscrupulous actors.
This massive scam is quite literally the biggest grift in U.S. history.
In this video I share some eye-popping stories of blatant fraud and abuse. It is really adding insult to injury to see how much money people made off with, while others (possibly like you) suffered from financial harms because of the hogwash that was sloshed all over us.
I remember attending my local board meetings during the height of this hogwash when the Orange County Board of Supervisors was discussing how to allocate funds — ostensibly for small businesses. Yet, upon closer scrutiny, we could see right through this charade and that a lot of the funds were disproportionately funneled towards their cronies or the businesses serving as testing or vaccination sites.
A particularly egregious aspect of this hogwash is how CEOs racked up huge pandemic profits and fake companies flourished on the ill-gotten gains of relief funds, while honest employees who faced discrimination and lost their job due to the jab were denied basic unemployment benefits. I can’t stand all the oppression, but to have all the blatant fraud on top of that just turns my stomach…
The irony of all the resources, time, and manpower being squandered on fraudulent activities, instead of aiding those genuinely in need…
I can't help but wonder about the gatekeepers — the individuals responsible for approving loans. How did fraudulent applications slip through the cracks, and where did the due diligence falter? The case of the Irvine businessman securing loans for FOUR fake companies raises so many questions about the efficacy of the vetting process and the integrity of those overseeing it. One rationale I've heard is that in their haste to provide these loans to individuals, the government compromised on quality and a comprehensive screening process — which obviously would create a large opportunity for fraud. Considering that the average Joe realized this, I find it hard to believe that the government wasn’t aware of this situation and the consequences.
PPP Loans
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), designed to cushion the financial blow dealt by the scamdemic, has unfortunately become a breeding ground for opportunistic fraud. Fraudsters, capitalizing on the forgiveness aspect, were able (by design?) to exploit the system, creating ghost companies to siphon funds away from legitimate businesses.
Congress allocated billions in taxpayer dollars to bail out large professional firms, despite many showing no financial distress. OpenTheBooks.com auditors uncovered a shocking $1.4 billion in forgiven PPP loans directed to major law and accounting firms, with 126 law firms and 236 accounting firms in the Top 300 collectively receiving $809 million and $635 million, respectively.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) doled out $787 billion in federal loans across all industries. The rules were lax and 95-percent of the “loans” turned into grants when the firms qualified for forgiveness.
Overall, 25,000 law firms and accounting firms received nearly $13 billion in Covid-aid PPP forgiven loans.
The American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan (ARP), touted as a comprehensive relief strategy, was also a canvas for fraudulent endeavors. Money for struggling companies turned into a questionable show of favoritism, with well-connected businesses getting more than their fair share. The "rescue" intended for businesses seemed, in some instances, to have rescued the well-connected more than the businesses in need. And remember how many businesses began posing as testing or vaccination sites?
Another point of contention is the extended unemployment benefits that discouraged many individuals from returning to work. The generous unemployment benefits, coupled with direct stimulus payments prolonged labor shortages in certain industries.
The misuse of relief funds, whether through intentional deception or loopholes in the system, undermines the supposed purpose of providing actual support and it caused more harm than good.
Justice Department Announces Results of Nationwide COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Action
“The Justice Department has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that criminals had stolen and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This latest action, involving over 300 defendants and over $830 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud, should send a clear message: the COVID-19 public health emergency may have ended, but the Justice Department’s work to identify and prosecute those who stole pandemic relief funds is far from over.”
The government was never concerned about the fraud from the average Joe because they can just seize their assets later; the aid was only meant to enrich the rich and the well-connected.
Our town is still arguing over what to do with the American relief funds. The businesses it was meant to help are gone. Now they’re trying to figure out how they can use it to benefit the immigrants and POC.
Yes, I believe it was the biggest fraud in history.