Rep. Malliotakis on Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act

Pandemic Unemployment Fraud

• 🎯 The speaker expresses disbelief that colleagues are fighting to protect fraudsters, even suggesting that stealing $500,000 should not be prosecuted.
• 💸 House Republicans are advocating for transparency and protecting taxpayers by exposing waste, fraud, and abuse, including an estimated $100 to $135 billion in pandemic unemployment fraud.
• ⚠️ New York State ranks high with an estimated $11 billion in fraudulent unemployment benefits, with funds going to overseas individuals (China, Russia, Nigeria), deceased people, and inmates.

Criminal Spending and Constituent Impact

• 💰 Fraudulent funds were spent on luxury items such as Rolex watches, high-end furnishings, designer clothing (Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci), a $10 million villa, a mansion, private jets, and luxury cars (Porsches, Ferraris, Bentleys, BMWs, Mercedes-Benz).
• 😥 Meanwhile, constituents in Staten Island and Brooklyn experienced identity theft and were unable to access desperately needed unemployment benefits.

HR 1156: Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act

• ✅ This bill aims to recoup taxpayer money and prevent future fraud by cracking down on fraudulent activities.
• ⚖️ It will extend the statute of limitations for law enforcement to pursue criminal and civil actions related to fraud.
• 🔒 The act also incentivizes states to help crack down on fraud and recover payments, and implements checks to prevent future payments to incarcerated and deceased individuals.

Urgency and Support

• ⏳ Only about 4% of the massive fraud has been recovered to date, and the statute of limitations for prosecuting this fraud expires on March 27th.
• 🚓 With approximately a thousand open cases investigating the fraud, it's crucial to allow law enforcement to complete their work.
• 🇺🇸 The speaker gladly supports the bill, standing with hardworking, taxpaying Americans against those who defend criminals and fraudsters.