Tens of millions have been recovered in the case.
The Secret Service confirmed a report this week that a China-based hacking group stole tens of millions of dollars worth of U.S. COVID relief funds. The hacking group known as APT41 has conducted a number of attacks against governmental bodies over the past few years. In 2019 and 2020, the Justice Department indicted several members of the group for spying on over 100 high-profile companies.
The fraud linked to this group affected 2,000 accounts and over 40,000 transactions starting in mid-2020. The Secret Service’s National Pandemic Fraud Recovery team reported it has recovered approximately half of the $20 million stolen by APT21.
As of August, the Secret Service has recovered over $1.4 billion in COVID relief funds and returned roughly $2.3 billion in unemployment insurance to the states.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to seek God’s guidance as she heads the agency.
- For Secret Service agents as they investigate and recover COVID relief funding from hackers and fraudsters.
- For discernment for Attorney General Garland as he leads the Justice Department.
Sources: NBC News, Reuters
