Secret Service: Chinese Hackers Stole $20M in COVID Relief Funds
The U.S. Secret Service says hackers linked to the Chinese government stole at least $20 million in Covid-relief.
The hackers raided unemployment insurance funds and small business administration loan money in more than a dozen U.S. states.
The Secret Service blames the theft on APT41, a well-known group that has allegedly schemed on behalf of Beijing for years. It's unclear if this operation was for self-enrichment or for the Chinese government.
The $20 million in Covid-19 relief support is just a fraction of pandemic relief money stolen from US government coffers by a broad range of criminal groups.
The Secret Service says it has seized over $1.4 billion in ill-gotten funds since 2020.
