Paycheck Protection Program

PPP fraud investigation by state watchdog finds $7.2 million in improper loans

The Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General found workers paid kickbacks to brokers who processed their fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans.

By Frank Main

Until the Sun-Times sued, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s office refused to release records regarding an investigation by his agency, the FBI and the Chicago Police Department into possible COVID-19 relief fraud by Cook County Jail detainees.

In twist on PPP, other COVID-19 relief fraud, recordings show Cook County Jail detainees claimed to reap tens of thousands of dollars

By Frank Main

The Daley Center, where many Cook County agencies are located.

The Watchdogs

PPP fraud investigation finds Cook County workers ripped off $1.2 million from pandemic relief program

Interim Cook County Inspector General Steven Cyranoski says he suspects eight workers of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program — on top of at least 31 workers he previously identified.

By Frank Main

Chief Cook County Judge Timothy Evans tapped a law firm a year ago to investigate possible fraud involving his office’s employees getting federal Paycheck Protection Program loans but won’t discuss what it’s found.

The Watchdogs

Amid PPP fraud investigation, 9 top employees have left chief Cook County judge’s office

A year into Judge Timothy Evans’ still-secret investigation, the Sun-Times has found that nine of his highest-paid employees who left match loan recipients in the fraud-ridden Paycheck Protection Program.

By Lauren FitzPatrick and Frank Main

City inspector general Deborah Witzburg.

Paycheck Protection Program

More than 1,000 COVID-19 relief loans went to city employees — and many look fraudulent, city’s watchdog says

Chicago’s Inspector General Deborah Witzburg revealed only one disciplinary case but said, “There are members of the police department included on the list that we are looking at.”

By Frank Main

The FBI raiding a home in May in Milwaukee as part of an investigation into the Wild 100s gang accused of using fraudulent coronavirus benefits for criminal activity.

Millions in PPP, other COVID-19 relief funds went to gangs, fueled Chicago’s illegal gun market

By Frank Main

Susan Haling, the state’s executive inspector general.

Paycheck Protection Program

PPP fraud found among Illinois state workers leaves investigator ‘disappointed but not surprised’

Illinois Executive Inspector General Susan Haling says 177 state employees appear to have defrauded the federal Paycheck Protection Program designed to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Frank Main

A la jefa de operaciones escolares, Crystal Cooper, y otras 11 personas se les ha prohibido volver a trabajar para CPS después de renunciar o ser despedidos luego de la investigación.

Paycheck Protection Program

Chicago Public Schools COO steps down amid PPP fraud finding by inspector general

Chief Operating Officer Crystal Cooper was one of 14 school staffers caught in Inspector General Will Fletcher’s investigation of COVID-19 relief loans.

By Lauren FitzPatrick

Signs on Jan. 5, 2021 near the U.S. Capitol calling for a second round of the 2020 Paycheck Protection Program. The signs were part of a campaign by Goldman Sachs investment bank supporting small businesses.

The Watchdogs

2 former Chicago police officers charged in $2 million COVID-19 relief fraud

Torrey Price retired from the Chicago Police Department on July 15 — about two weeks before he was indicted for fraud. Aaron Price, the other former cop who’s charged, retired in 2017.

By Frank Main

Alison Perona, the Chicago Park District’s interim inspector general.

The Watchdogs

25 Chicago Park District employees could be fired in probe of COVID-19 relief fraud

And City Hall’s inspector general says she is continuing to investigate possible Paycheck Protection Program fraud.

By Dan Mihalopoulos and Frank Main

The Daley Center, where some Cook County government agencies are housed.

The Watchdogs

PPP fraud suspected of 5 more Cook County workers, including woman who used money to pay for daughter’s wedding, report says

Interim Cook County Inspector General Steven Cyranoski says, over the past year, 25 county workers were found to have ripped off the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

By Frank Main

Maple & Ash denies the accusations in a newly filed lawsuit that it misused federal Payroll Protection Program money.

The Watchdogs

Maple & Ash restaurant accused in lawsuit of misusing federal pandemic relief aid for businesses

The suit accuses the restaurants of diverting taxpayer money for private jets and country club dues, which the owners of the Gold Coast steakhouse and a sister restaurant in Scottsdale, Ariz., deny doing.

By Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ

The Watchdogs

PPP fraud probe results in 6 Chicago Park District employees resigning, 5 facing discipline

Separately, City Hall Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s investigation of COVID relief Paycheck Protection Program fraud “is a large-scale undertaking,” could lead to charges.

By Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ and Frank Main

The Watchdogs

Dozens of Cook County employees resign or are fired in clerk of court, county inspector general’s PPP fraud probe

Forty-eight court clerk’s office employees “no longer work” there after investigators found they defrauded the federal COVID relief Paycheck Protection Program. Six employees of other county agencies also have been found to have defrauded federal relief programs.

By Frank Main

Ja’Mal Green business steered COVID-19 relief loan applicants to lenders faulted by Congress for ignoring fraud

By Lauren FitzPatrick and Frank Main

At least 36 people used the address of this Salvation Army center in Humboldt Park to obtain federal Paycheck Protection Program loans, claiming individual annual income of at least $100,000. The Salvation Army says it didn’t apply for any loans and was unaware its address was being used on PPP applications.

Clusters of pandemic relief loans went to the same Chicago addresses, including homeless shelters, Sun-Times finds

By Frank Main and Lauren FitzPatrick

The Watchdogs

COVID relief fraud probe includes over 50 employees in Cook County Clerk of Court Iris Martinez’s office

Other city and county agencies also have been looking into employees’ loans under the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

By Frank Main

Chief Cook County Judge Timothy Evans, who is looking into whether any employees of his office fraudulently obtained federal Paycheck Protection Program loans.

The Watchdogs

Cook County’s chief judge investigating court employees who got COVID-19 relief loans

Four workers in other county departments have quit or been fired this year while under suspicion of defrauding the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

By Frank Main

The Chicago skyline, viewed from the inbound Eisenhower Expressway.

Paycheck Protection Program

16 CHA employees fired, 1 resigns after being accused of defrauding federal Payroll Protection Program

An internal probe found the employees submitted “falsified” applications to the Small Business Administration to receive coronavirus relief funds “to which they were not entitled.”

By Fran Spielman

Education

CPS paid bus operators $30M to keep drivers on hand. The companies laid them off anyway.

The district handed out the money even without a written agreement as to how it would be used at the start of the pandemic, the inspector general said in a report released Monday.

By Nader Issa and Lauren FitzPatrick