IRS Criminal Investigators to Continue Covid Relief Fraud Focus

IRS criminal investigators will continue to prioritize investigations into fraud tied to Covid-19 relief programs, according to IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Jim Lee.

Lee said 840 cases already have been initiated by the government, including 390 indictments, and the government has secured an almost 99% conviction rate. He said the 180 cases that made it through the justice system by the end of the 2022 fiscal year resulted in an average of approximately a three-year prison sentence per case.

“So that should say something, that judges don’t take these Covid frauds lightly,” Lee said.

He made the remarks Tuesday while ...