Fraud

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 22, 2023, at the Capitol in Pierre. (Courtesy of Attorney General's Office)

South Dakotans can now sign up for consumer alerts, attorney general says

BY: - August 30, 2023

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced Wednesday that the public can now receive consumer alerts via email from the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. The alert system will provide subscribers with information about consumer scams and tips on how to protect against scams, Jackley said in a news release. People can register for the […]

The federal courthouse in Sioux Falls. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)

Sioux Falls man now facing 16 counts of COVID-related fraud

BY: - June 12, 2023

SIOUX FALLS — A Sioux Falls man already facing possible federal prison time for bank fraud has been charged with two additional counts of wire fraud for allegedly lying to secure another $700,000 in COVID relief funds. James Bunker, 52, of Sioux Falls, was initially indicted on a dozen fraud-related charges related to the Paycheck […]

Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, speaks to reporters on his way to a closed-door GOP caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 10, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

U.S. House panel probes extent of fraud in federal COVID-19 relief programs

BY: - February 1, 2023

WASHINGTON — From 2020 to 2022, a group of Minnesotans pretended to be serving meals to low-income children, all the while filing for reimbursement under a federal COVID-19 relief program aimed to buoy child nutrition as schools and childcare centers closed.  In all, the schemers defrauded the government of $250 million, the Minnesota Reformer reported. […]