Audit: Illinois Paid Out Nearly $2B In Fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Claims

A new state audit shows more than half the money paid out by Illinois from a special pandemic unemployment fund was given to fraudsters.  The state auditor general’s report says fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims cost the state nearly two-billion-dollars in federal money meant to help out-of-work Illinoisans.  The audit covers July 2020 through June 2021.  The Illinois Department of Employment Security acknowledged in November 2020 that more than 212-thousand fraudulent claims had been filed, but never released a dollar estimate on the theft.