Chinese Hackers Stole Millions In COVID Relief Funds
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The Secret Service has confirmed millions in COVID relief funds were stolen by hackers linked to the CCP.
At least $20 million in funds were stolen.
The Secret Service recently disclosed that hackers linked to the Chinese Communist Party stole at least $20 million in coronavirus relief benefits.
While it is known that theft of state unemployment funds related to the Chinese coronavirus was committed, this is the first time the U.S. government has publicly acknowledged that thievery was also committed by foreign, state-sponsored cybercriminals, according to a report by NBC News.
The Secret Service said that Small Business Administration loans and unemployment insurance funds experienced theft of taxpayer funds in over a dozen states. Law enforcement and cybersecurity experts added that the theft committed by this hacking group — known as APT41 — may be the tip of the iceberg.
“It would be crazy to think this group didn’t target all 50 states,” Roy Dotson, national pandemic fraud recovery coordinator for the Secret Service, told NBC News.
There are currently thousands of investigations into the defrauding of the programs.
The report claims it is unknown if the CCP directed this to happen or just looked the other way.
The Secret Service declined to confirm the scope of other investigations, saying there are more than 1,000 ongoing investigations involving transnational and domestic criminal actors defrauding public benefits programs, and APT41 is “a notable player.”
And whether the Chinese government directed APT41 to loot U.S. taxpayer funds or simply looked the other way, multiple current and former U.S. officials say, the theft itself is a troubling development that raises the stakes. One senior Justice Department official called it “dangerous” and said it had serious national security implications.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration refuses to hold the Chinese Communist party accountable.
