Reports

PROVIDENCE – A Middletown, RI, man currently on federal supervised release having been previously sentenced for robbing four banks, is facing charges in federal court in Providence for allegedly filing fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $4.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was passed by Congress to assist businesses impacted by the pandemic.

As part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) effort to provide oversight of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) relief efforts provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), we reviewed HUD’s responses to inquiries regarding forbearance and foreclosure relief. The objective of our review was to evaluate the accuracy of HUD’s responses to inquiries from borrowers, industry partners, and the general public regarding forbearance and foreclosure relief provided by the CARES Act. We found that HUD could improve its customer service to...

HHS may take a variety of actions in response to an emerging infectious disease, including, but not limited to, actions related to resources, supplies, and treatments needed to address COVID-19. This study will examine actions taken by HHS, including the Office of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, to protect public health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) continued to fulfill its mission by performing safety and environmental inspections for offshore oil and gas operations. We reviewed the actions BSEE’s three regions—the Gulf of Mexico Region, Pacific Region, and Alaska Region—have taken to protect inspectors and offshore employees from COVID-19 and evaluated any impacts the virus had on inspections BSEE conducted since March 2020. We found that BSEE:• Developed, communicated, and updated COVID-19 guidance for all personnel involved with offshore...

Section 204, Public Act 67 of 2020, effective March 30, 2020, requires the Office of the Auditor General to audit the use of funds appropriate for coronavirus public health emergency – health care capacity coronavirus public health emergency, and coronavirus response fund and report to the chairs of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees at a minimum of every month on the appropriateness of the preceding month’s expenditures until the funds are expended. In order to provide a more complete picture of the total spending on COVID-19, our audit scope includes all COVID-19 coded...

PROVIDENCE – A Warwick man today admitted to a federal court judge that he participated in a conspiracy with a Massachusetts man to submit fraudulent bank loan applications to a Rhode Island bank in an effort to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed by Congress to assist businesses impacted by the pandemic.

The OIG reviewed the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) processing of mail and benefit claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the review team examined whether VBA staff documented the date of receipt for benefits-related correspondence as required by new guidance during the national state of emergency and continued mail operations at VA facilities to ensure benefit claims were processed. Based on its sample analysis, the OIG found VBA staff did not properly apply date of receipt documentation guidance for an estimated 98 percent of 3,200 claims established from April 7...

MIAMI – Texas resident Uzoamaka Leonard Ohaebosim, 46, has been charged in the Southern District of Florida with federal bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution after allegedly lying about his movie company’s payroll expenses and obtaining $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.

In 2019, carriers delivered nearly 6 billion packages to every corner of America—more than 19 million every day. This represents an 87 percent increase in the U.S. Postal Service’s package volume since 2013, driven by booming ecommerce sales.

Park City Man Charged With Scheme To Sell N95 Masks, Claimed To Be Representative Of 3M Company