Four Charged in $200 Billion Paycheck Protection Fraud

Federal authorities have charged four residents in Lafayette, Louisiana, for submitting fraudulent applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was designed to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP, launched in 2020, faced substantial abuse, with estimates suggesting that approximately $200 billion may have been lost due to fraud, including inflated payrolls and identity theft. Meanwhile, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is seeking access to Social Security Administration (SSA) data to investigate potential fraud, spurred by claims from Elon Musk regarding discrepancies in the database. Musk has alleged that millions of deceased individuals are still listed as alive in the SSA records, raising concerns about fraud within the social security system. This investigation has led to significant public protests against potential government cuts related to these fraud claims. The unfolding situation highlights ongoing issues of fraud associated with both pandemic relief funds and social security programs.