The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday charged dozens of people for allegedly stealing $250 million from the federal government as part of a fraudulent scheme to exploit a COVID-19 foods program in Minnesota, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
In all, 47 people were charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery, according to a DOJ indictment.
Federal prosecutors say the defendants created companies that claimed to be offering food to tens of thousands of children across Minnesota before they sought reimbursement for those meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food nutrition programs. The programs were designed to provide food to kids during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the DOJ….