These COVID crooks are getting a jab of justice.
Nearly $100 billion of COVID relief funds has been defrauded across the United States since the pandemic began, the Secret Service announced Tuesday, adding that there are almost 1,000 separate investigations into these startling financial frauds.
Two high profile athletes have already been cuffed for the crime: US Olympic speedskater Allison Marie Baver is accused of ripping off $10 million, as well as former New York Jets wide receiver and onetime millionaire Kenbrell Thompkins, whose damages are in the hundreds of thousands.
There have also been plenty of “average Joe” perps getting busted after spending their lavish relief dough on trivial purchases, such as flashy cars or rare, five-figure Pokémon cards (both true, real examples, sadly). Gotta catch ’em all, right?
A group of deceitful dingbats in Brooklyn were even found out after posing online with some $2 million of ill-begotten relief funds.
Read on for the most ridiculous, and egregious, COVID relief scammers that have been caught — so far.
Bronze medalist Allison Marie Baver
The ice is getting awfully thin for this former Olympic speedskater.
The 41-year-old Baver — who medaled with the US women’s 3,000-meter relay team during the 2010 Vancouver games — was brought up last week on money laundering charges…
