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Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – United States Attorney David M. DeVillers 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.
“This U.S. Attorney’s Office is open for business and we still have plenty of room in jail for those who try to line their own pockets through fraud during this pandemic,” U.S. Attorney DeVillers said. “I’ve instructed my district to ignore dollar amount or victim number thresholds usually needed for federal prosecutions. Those reprehensible enough to take advantage of our worried citizens will pay the price.”
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. DeVillers named Assistant United States Attorney Peter Glenn-Applegate as the Southern District of Ohio’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator.
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.
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