Related Content
Press Release
West Haven Woman involved in Scheme to Steal COVID-19 Relief Funds from the City Sentenced to Prison
Press Release
John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov.
In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes.
“The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners stand ready to bring the full weight of federal law upon anyone who would seek to prey upon people’s fears or sympathy and profit from this unprecedented international emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Durham.
Some examples of these schemes include:
In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities. The District of Connecticut Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.
To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.