#covid-19-relief-fraud

#covid-19-relief-fraud

John Diehl, the former Republican house speaker, received about $380,000 in federal loans for his law firm between 2020 and 2022 through a program intended to help cover operating expenses for businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. But Diehl admitted in a September plea agreement that he instead used the money for personal expenses such as country club dues, swimming pool maintenance, his home mortgage and vehicle payments for a Tesla, Audi and Jeep.

Like all Minnesotans, like all Americans who have heard this story, I am deeply distressed by the fraud on the state's social service programs. Most notably, in 2022, the Department of Justice indicted 47 people for stealing an estimated $246 million in funds meant to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic. As late as 2025, 78 people have been indicted as part of the scheme and 56 have pleaded guilty,