An Illinois congressman is urging to pass a new law that would provide additional time to track down and prosecute those who conducted unemployment insurance fraud during the COVID pandemic era. Called the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act, the proposed law would extend the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution of unemployment benefit theft by five years. This was discussed in a recent meeting of the Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee, led by Work and Welfare Chairman, Darin LaHood. He shed light on a recent case in Pennsylvania where a man was convicted for stealing $59 million in public benefits including unemployment funds.

According to La Hood, federal law enforcement agencies are currently involved in hundreds of such cases, with many more yet to be brought to court. The Department of Justice has 157,000 open UI fraud complaints and 1,648 ongoing investigations at the moment. Without Congressional action, the present statute of limitations will end on March 27, 2025. An estimated $100 billion to $135 billion of UI benefits from the pandemic period have been stolen in what is considered the largest theft of taxpayer money in American history. Out of this massive amount, only $5 billion has been retrieved.

LaHood further stated that the same individuals behind the pandemic unemployment benefit thefts continue their illegal activities. Now, they are targeting disaster benefits meant for victims of the Los Angeles fire and hurricanes in North Carolina. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that over 1,400 people have been convicted of unemployment insurance fraud since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed act has been approved by the committee and awaits deliberation on the U.S. House floor. This is reminiscent of the legislation that extended the statute of limitations for PPP fraud, which Congress previously passed.

For those who have been affected by unemployment insurance fraud or who are experiencing difficulties accessing their legitimate unemployment benefits, it is important to know how to reach the unemployment department for help. One way to do this is through eddcaller.com, which provides guidance on how to get in touch with the California Unemployment Department. They provide information on various options such as how to contact a live person at EDD California, fastest way to get through to EDD, and even the EDD phone number. Eddcaller.com is a helpful resource for answering queries about unemployment benefits and addressing report issues.