Wagner, Suburban Caucus seek details on fraudulent unemployment claims

U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) recently led 15 other Republican members of the U.S. House Suburban Caucus in calling for an investigation into the potential theft of taxpayer dollars through fraudulent unemployment claims made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In order to ensure our constituents’ hard-earned tax dollars are being properly disbursed, we request you use the necessary resources to conduct an investigation to conclusively determine the amount of federal funds stolen through fraudulent unemployment claims during the pandemic, identify the states that had the most fraudulent claims filed and what policies, or lack thereof, allowed fraudulent claims to go undetected, and the extent to which such fraud was perpetrated by organized criminal networks,” the members wrote in a letter sent to U.S. Department of Labor Acting Inspector General Larry Turner. 

Among the lawmakers who joined Rep. Wagner in signing the letter was U.S. Reps. Peter Meijer (R-MI), Andy Barr (R-KY), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Bryan Steil (R-WI), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Brian Mast (R-FL), and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA).

According to their letter, the Axios news website reported on April 10 that criminals stole an estimated $400 billion in unemployment funds nationwide through fraudulent claims during the pandemic. 

“If accurate, this staggering amount of stolen taxpayer dollars makes up an unacceptable portion of all the unemployment funds allocated to states by the federal government,” Rep. Wagner and her colleagues wrote.

The members also pointed out that a large portion of these stolen funds was allegedly procured by international criminal syndicates based in China, Russia, and Nigeria, which then transferred the money overseas.

“The American people deserve to know the extent of this theft, and legislators must know what policies must be reformed in order to ensure this criminal activity does not continue,” the lawmakers wrote.