Calling Out COVID-19

CHAPTER 4

Fraud 101

In the wake of this Pompeii Event, governments across the world are borrowing tens of billions of dollars in order to satisfy spending needs, as tax receipts have plummeted. National gross domestic products (GDPs) are deteriorating, and unemployment rates are sky rocketing. Millions of workers are working from home due to hard and soft lockdowns and are social distancing, which has also disrupted local and global supply chains. The result is a fertile ground for fraudulent activity. For example, in December 2020, in America, two owners of New York pharmacies were charged in a $30M COVID-19 health care fraud and money laundering case, due to exploiting Medicare rules that were intended to help patients obtain access to essential ...