Wasted aid

Name: WORLD
Price range: $

You have {{ remainingArticles }} free {{ counterWords }} remaining. You've read all of your free articles.

Full access isn’t far.

We can’t release more of our sound journalism without a subscription, but we can make it easy for you to come aboard.

Get started for as low as $3.99 per month.

Current WORLD subscribers can log in to access content. Just go to "SIGN IN" at the top right.

LET'S GO

Already a member? Sign in.

$11.4 billion

The amount in unemployment benefits involving fraud the state of California has paid out during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the state’s Employment Development Department. That figure is 10 percent of pandemic-related benefits the state has paid. A state audit blamed protocols at the department for not safeguarding benefit payments.

$60M

The amount of cash the U.S. Justice Department has seized in investigating fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program payments.

$1.1B

Overpayments made as part of the Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance program between March and December 2020.

$156M

The amount the U.S. Small Business Administration loaned to ineligible businesses as part of pandemic relief programs.

$1.4B

The amount of the federal government’s first round of economic impact payments that went to dead people.

Business & Economy