crime doesn't pay

Biden announces crackdown on pandemic aid fraud

During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Biden promised to crack down on fraudsters who stole billions of dollars in COVID-19 aid. 

Biden said the Trump administration "undermined the watchdogs" whose job it was "to keep pandemic relief funds [from] being wasted." 

"In my administration, the watchdogs are back. And we're going to go after the criminals who stole billions of relief money meant for small business and millions of Americans," Biden said.

CNBC reported in December that nearly $100 billion in COVID relief funds was stolen.

Biden also announced that the Justice Department will soon appoint a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud.