Inspectors general need more authority to go after fraud in COVID-19 relief programs, the independent committee overseeing federal pandemic relief spending said Tuesday. He asked Congress to raise the maximum amount of a fraud claim that may be handled administratively to $1 million. Inspectors general nationwide are focused on multimillion-dollar cases of alleged fraud that are turned over to the Justice Department for prosecution. Most federal prosecutors do not pursue cases for under $1 million because they are overwhelmed with larger fraud cases, he added. It brings the inspectors general offices together to oversee pandemic relief emergency spending and to investigate fraud and improper payments involving more than 400 programs implemented by 40 federal agencies.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 01, 2022 06:43 UTC