Today, the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division along with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the SBA Office of Inspector General, as part of a Heartland Fraud Surge announced the results of Operation No Doze, a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in SBA’s small business COVID-era loan programs.
During the summer surge between June 12 and Sept. 1, SBA-OIG and federal prosecutors in the Fraud Division and across over 40 U.S. Attorney’s Offices, with assistance from various partners, obtained felony charges against nearly 80 fraud defendants responsible for approximately $100 million dollars in intended loss to the United States. These charges target a range of individuals who allegedly exploited COVID-era SBA loan programs at the height of the pandemic.
Beyond newly charged defendants, as part of Operation No Doze, approximately 43…
HOW TO SPOT A “RED FLAG” (THE BEHAVIORAL AUDIT)
Keep an eye out for these behavioral shifts in your staff:
Refusal to take leave: Afraid someone will find their “adjustments.”
Unexplained wealth: Buying luxury items that don’t match their known salary.
Working odd hours: Preferring to work alone late at night when no one is watching the system.
“Gatekeeper” behavior: Becoming overly defensive or angry when someone asks to see their records.