Fraud in Pandemic Relief Funding

The podcast highlights the significant amount of fraud that has occurred in pandemic relief funding worldwide. In the US, it is estimated that fraudsters have stolen over $280 billion in government relief funding, while another $123 billion has been wasted or misspent. Similar fraudulent activities have been observed in the UK, where fraud and error may have cost the government up to £16 billion. Fraudsters took advantage of the urgency to distribute funds quickly, exploiting loopholes and inadequate oversight measures. The scale and ease of access to relief aid made it an attractive target for both career criminals and ordinary individuals.