Investigation Sought On Unemployment Schemes
WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, in a letter to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Associate Deputy Attorney General William Hughes and United States Secret Service Assistant Director Michael D’Ambrosio, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) urged the DOJ and Secret Service to open an investigation into the large-scale “impostor fraud” schemes originating from abroad targeting unemployment insurance, as well as provide assistance to states grappling with a recent siege of scams. The letter follows a June 9 hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Covid-19 related fraud, during which Blumenthal questioned D’Ambrosio on investigations into scams targeted to unemployment insurance. D’Ambrosio acknowledged that state agencies are facing a massive campaign from international criminal organizations specifically targeting COVID-19 relief payments, though he declined…