The Secret Service announced that hackers linked to the Chinese government stole at least $20 million in U.S. Covid relief funds, primarily those meant to help small businesses and unemployed Americans, NBC reports.
The theft from the Chengdu-based hacking group which goes by the name APT41 is the first instance of pandemic fraud tied to a foreign government that the U.S. has publicly acknowledged, and it may just be the tip of the iceberg.
The secret service declined to comment on any other potential instances of state-sponsored fraud, but said that there are more than 1,000 ongoing investigations into the stealing of Covid relief funds involving domestic and international cyber criminals, acknowledging that APT41 is “a notable player.” Read more…
