Five former and current employees of the IRS have been charged with schemes to defraud COVID-19 relief measures like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The two programs were federal stimulus initiatives authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Court documents show that the five defendants obtained funds under the two programs by submitting fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $1 million. The funds were used for personal purposes like purchasing luxury goods, cars, and travel, including trips to Las Vegas, the DOJ announced in an Oct. 4 press release.
