Unemployment Fraud

An Associated Press analysis found that fraudsters fraudsters potentially stole more than $280 billion in COVID-19 relief funding, including $1 billion in Ohio.

Ohio paid out $478 million in fraudulent unemployment claims during the pandemic. The state’s government watchdog is looking into that, and it’s found a few problems.

State Auditor Keith Faber confirms the state overpaid nearly $3.8 billion in unemployment benefits.

A contractor working with the state on the fraudulent claims filed and processed through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said other state agencies should be on the alert.

Some of the victims whose identities were stolen for fraudulent unemployment claims said they are getting notices to pay back that money from the state agency that handles those payments. Some Democratic lawmakers said they want that agency to focus its energy on figuring out how the fraud happened instead.

More than 270,000 people have filed for unemployment in Ohio over the last week, including more than 22,000 who filed first time claims. State officials...

Three Columbus residents are facing federal charges for allegedly filing fraudulent pandemic unemployment applications. Pandemic unemployment assistance…