Top Senate Democrat Durbin calls for oversight of COVID funds, says son PPP fraud victim

Federal officials estimate that $100 billion designated for COVID relief has been wasted on fraud.

Published: September 20, 2022 8:08am

Updated: September 20, 2022 8:52am

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, is calling for more oversight of COVID-19 relief funds, saying his son's identity was stolen and that he has been accused of defaulting on a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan for a bogus construction company.

"There's no Durbin construction company," the Senate Majority Whip said Monday on Capitol Hill, according to Fox News

Durbin said the loan was for $140,000.

"Somebody had stolen his identity," he told reporters. "Government-backed PPP loans were created to help small businesses survive the COVID pandemic."

Federal officials estimate that $100 billion designated for COVID relief has been wasted on fraud.

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