Scammers will face higher penalties and tipsters will reap greater rewards in cases of COVID-19 pandemic fraud due to two latest laws signed by Latest York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday.
The laws is an element of an effort to combat fraudsters benefiting from state emergencies — as such schemes have drained billions in taxpayer dollars since 2020.
“We’re sending a transparent message: Latest York has zero tolerance for fraud, especially in our most crucial times of need,” Hochul said in a press release.
“These latest laws will protect Latest Yorkers and incentivize them to report fraud and assist with recovery efforts while cracking down on bad actors and their deceitful attempts to show a profit during emergencies.”
Each laws were passed within the statehouse in Albany early this summer with overwhelming majorities.
The primary empowers the attorney general to sue fraudsters for as much as 3 times the quantity stolen or $15,000, “whichever is bigger.”
The second allows individuals “to file civil lawsuits on behalf of the federal government to assist get better defrauded money” and receive a portion of the funds, in line with the laws.
“As with other states of emergency like superstorm Sandy or after September eleventh, the necessity to respond swiftly creates opportunities for perpetrators of fraud,” lawmakers wrote within the bill. “With Latest York combating a pandemic, government funds are limited, and in such dire circumstances, we must incentivize whistleblowers to return forward with information to help the state get better funds and deter criminal dealings.”
Latest York Attorney General Letitia James in a press release Wednesday said the laws will help her office proceed its efforts to crack down on those that reap the benefits of the state during trying times
“My office has taken significant motion to stop scams, combat price gouging of essential goods, and get better tens of millions of dollars for consumers who were misled,” she said. “This latest law will strengthen our ability to go after those attempting to reap the benefits of Latest Yorkers.”
State Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) said he helped sponsor the laws to discourage pandemic-related fraud, but additionally hoped that the laws would prevent scams in emergencies to return.
“This latest law is a transparent statement to would-be fraudsters and scammers: when you reap the benefits of Latest York consumers during this difficult time, your cost of doing business is about to get much higher,” he said. “… Increasing penalties for these white-collar crimes will help deter them now and through future crises.”
Latest York lost $11 billion in taxpayer money to outright fraud and overpayments as unemployment claims soared through the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found last month.
“There was a very good intent to get as much money out the door — but the issue was that it made the system much more liable to fraud, particularly with regard to identity theft,” he said in his report.
Scammers will face higher penalties and tipsters will reap greater rewards in cases of COVID-19 pandemic fraud due to two latest laws signed by Latest York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday.
The laws is an element of an effort to combat fraudsters benefiting from state emergencies — as such schemes have drained billions in taxpayer dollars since 2020.
“We’re sending a transparent message: Latest York has zero tolerance for fraud, especially in our most crucial times of need,” Hochul said in a press release.
“These latest laws will protect Latest Yorkers and incentivize them to report fraud and assist with recovery efforts while cracking down on bad actors and their deceitful attempts to show a profit during emergencies.”
Each laws were passed within the statehouse in Albany early this summer with overwhelming majorities.
The primary empowers the attorney general to sue fraudsters for as much as 3 times the quantity stolen or $15,000, “whichever is bigger.”
The second allows individuals “to file civil lawsuits on behalf of the federal government to assist get better defrauded money” and receive a portion of the funds, in line with the laws.
“As with other states of emergency like superstorm Sandy or after September eleventh, the necessity to respond swiftly creates opportunities for perpetrators of fraud,” lawmakers wrote within the bill. “With Latest York combating a pandemic, government funds are limited, and in such dire circumstances, we must incentivize whistleblowers to return forward with information to help the state get better funds and deter criminal dealings.”
Latest York Attorney General Letitia James in a press release Wednesday said the laws will help her office proceed its efforts to crack down on those that reap the benefits of the state during trying times
“My office has taken significant motion to stop scams, combat price gouging of essential goods, and get better tens of millions of dollars for consumers who were misled,” she said. “This latest law will strengthen our ability to go after those attempting to reap the benefits of Latest Yorkers.”
State Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) said he helped sponsor the laws to discourage pandemic-related fraud, but additionally hoped that the laws would prevent scams in emergencies to return.
“This latest law is a transparent statement to would-be fraudsters and scammers: when you reap the benefits of Latest York consumers during this difficult time, your cost of doing business is about to get much higher,” he said. “… Increasing penalties for these white-collar crimes will help deter them now and through future crises.”
Latest York lost $11 billion in taxpayer money to outright fraud and overpayments as unemployment claims soared through the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found last month.
“There was a very good intent to get as much money out the door — but the issue was that it made the system much more liable to fraud, particularly with regard to identity theft,” he said in his report.
