A hacking group affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party has reportedly misused COVID-19 relief funds to steal at least $20 million from the US government.
The Secret Service claims the group, known as APT41, obtained fraudulent payments through Small Business Administration loans and unemployment insurance.
The Secret Service declined to provide exact details in a statement to NBC News, but has identified at least 1,000 cases of international and domestic attempts to defraud the U.S. government via its COVID-19 program. He said there was a public investigation into the matter.
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Red flags fly in front of the Great Hall of the People on March 4, 2022, ahead of the biannual conference in Beijing, China. The 5th session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened on March 4.
(Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
The organization told NBC that APT41 was a “notable player” in a string of fraudulent activities.
The Chinese Communist Party has denied any involvement.
Auditors found that in the early months of the federal emergency loan program, COVID-19 Pandemic In 2020, millions of legitimate businesses benefited from the program, but it remained vulnerable to fraud.
China stole more US data than all other countries combined, says FBI director
“There is no doubt that they have had a positive impact, but the management of these programs needs to improve dramatically,” US General Accounting Office General Jean L. Dodaro said last year.
Last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in no uncertain terms regarding threats to the United States in areas such as: international security And economically, China is by far the worst.
Speaking at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022, FBI Director Christopher Wray raises national security concerns about TikTok, saying Friday that the popular Video-sharing apps are in the hands of a Chinese government that “doesn’t share our values.”
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
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In his testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Wray outlined how the Chinese Communist Party is targeting the United States.
“The greatest long-term threat to our nation’s ideas, innovation, economic security and national security comes from China,” Lei said. “The Chinese government seeks to match or surpass the United States as a global superpower and influence the world with a value system shaped by undemocratic and authoritarian ideals.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
