ICE HSI Indianapolis makes significant contributions to massive COVID-era loan fraud crackdown

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - ICE's Homeland Security Investigations Indiana, along with 44 U.S. attorney's offices and 20 federal and state investigative agencies, recently concluded a two-month enforcement surge resulting in 12 indictments and five guilty pleas.

The nationwide enforcement action was led by the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division and the Small Business Administration's Office of the Inspector General. The effort targeted fraud in the SBA's Paycheck Protection Program.

From June 12 to Sept. 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions involving more than 160 criminal defendants, including 80 newly charged defendants, and approximately $245 million in intended losses to American taxpayers.

President Trump has promised the American people that he will protect the integrity of U.S. taxpayer dollars. By investigating alleged fraudsters, ICE HSI is delivering on that promise. These actions are part of President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort, chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse within federal benefit programs.

"Pandemic relief programs were created to support struggling businesses, not to enrich criminals," said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. "HSI Chicago will continue working with our federal partners to uncover fraud schemes, protect taxpayer dollars and pursue those who exploited these programs."

HSI is responsible for investigating transnational fraud, crime and threats, and used its unique authorities to disrupt this alleged transnational criminal fraud scheme.

Through industry partnerships, HSI and its law enforcement partners identified the alleged transnational fraud and worked to prevent the exploitation of government grant programs. Fairness, transparency and integrity remain key tenets of federal grant programs available to honest academics, scientists and businesses.

HSI will continue to devote substantial resources to dismantling criminal fraud organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move.