That’s a good start! 199.75 billion more to go before we recapture the full amount stolen during the pandemic. I wonder if this is on the list for DOGE to audit?
<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/new-federal-estimate-finds-more-than-200-billion-in-covid-19-aid-may-have-been-stolen" rel="nofollow">https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/new-federal-estimate-fi...</a>
I was just in a heated discussion on this recently - the current focus on the federal DOE itself being "fraudulent" is in my opinion completely misdirected at where fraud most likely is to occur, and is fully embodied here. The Federal DOE ultimately distributes supplementary (NOT supplant) funds earmarked for specific resources (e.g. food insecurity, special need population) to state education agencies where the actual procurement happens, and further these states decide ultimately who actually receives the money, who is on the approved vendor list, etc.<p>Unfortunately I think most people will look no further than the headline and think the current administration is correct in their strong attack on federal institutions like the federal DOE, when this was a fraud perpetuated at the state level and caught only by federal oversight (FBI, Postal Service, IRS Criminal Division).
More details in the DoJ press release[1].<p>[1] <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/federal-jury-finds-feeding-our-future-mastermind-and-co-defendant-guilty-250-million" rel="nofollow">https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/federal-jury-finds-feedin...</a>
FTA: this case predates the current administration, and has nothing to do with any current claimed fraud-finding actions within the USG. As others have noted, the US <i>has</i> (had?) a robust anti-corruption system, one that is actively being gutted for political reasons.
See, only a few years ago I discovered that practically any agency which distributes "Food Boxes" around here is simply funded by the USDA to do it. Even the Catholic charity which I favor is operating exactly the same as the municipal agency and exactly the same as mental health clinics which give out food.<p>They may source the food differently and they may rely on volunteers or staff to handle the boxes and Dole them out, but every recipient signs the same acknowledgement form with the USDA's letterhead: that the recipient meets the eligibility requirements, namely a low income at a certain % of the Federal Poverty Level. Otherwise you don't qualify for Emergency Food.<p>I believe it was President George HW Bush who advanced the federal policy of "faith-based charity" initiatives in order to fill gaps in entitlements and State-administered welfare programs. In order to support the disestablishment of religion and a plurality of faiths in our nation, the USA is levying taxes to make available our funds to every single church, mosque, temple and synagogue which offers charity or outreach to the poor and marginalized. I am willing to bet that the majority could never sustain charitable works on member donations alone, and certainly not at scale to meet the demands of 2025.<p>Also there are plenty of secular, non-religious organizations which are nevertheless spurred to action and effect change according to their unique political, cultural, or ethnic ideologies. Mental [Behavioral] Health is fundamentally a spiritual/religious practice, and today there are battalions of "priests" in white coats, wearing stethoscopes and wielding medical licenses, in order to leverage Medical Insurance funds for the care of souls and PreCrime operations.<p>Unfortunately, while the government can send all kinds of money into their coffers, the government cannot provide the volunteers or trained staff who are necessary to actually sustain operations, keep unemployment low, and foster organizational growth. Everyone, especially health care and churches, everyone is desperate for more good workers, and tolerates incompetent or lazy ones as much as possible.<p>Is this a bad idea or superior to the old ways? The jury's still out. But I'm actually witnessing the flourishing and state funding of New Religious Movements who gain followers and make disciples the old-fashioned way, the way Christians have always done it. In Germany they pay Church tax and Americans are doing the same on a scale that's grander and more expansive than you may conceive.
> Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future<p>> Ms. Bock herself had funneled money to her boyfriend at the time and used it to take trips to Las Vegas and rent Lamborghinis.<p>She didn't betray the mission and did feed her future. Some people just take things literally, can't blame them /s<p>> Another defendant, Salim Said — a 36-year-old who oversaw one of the bogus kitchens — was convicted of 20 counts, also including wire fraud and bribery.<p>> Mr. Said’s operation, for instance, said it had fed 6,000 a day, more than all the children in its ZIP code.<p>They were stealing from hungry children, this will probably not end well for them. Better stay in isolation in prison, for safety.<p>> But she sued the state government, saying officials were discriminating against her network because it served many African immigrants and their children.<p>Aha, lean into the "racism" and "discrimination", hoping the federal govt. will be intimidated. As Cpt. Kirk said "The best defense is a good offense, and I intend to start offending right now."