CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Two Charleston-area businesses were among the five total that entered into million-dollar settlements with federal authorities over Paycheck Protection Program fraud, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The settlements with the defendants total more than $7.9 million, resolving allegations that various companies violated the False Claims Act by providing false information to obtain over $5 million in Paycheck Protection Program. Investigators deemed that the businesses were not eligible for the funds they received.
“These settlements reflect our commitment to protecting taxpayers and holding those accountable who disregard program requirements in order to obtain federal funds they are not entitled to,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Our team secured these settlements in the first five months of 2026, and we’ll…
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.