Why it was so easy for crooks to steal money meant for pandemic relief

America’s fragmented and antiquated state systems were an open door to fraud

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 01: House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) center, talks with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) before a committee hearing to discuss COVID Pandemic Federal spending at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) — Image: Getty Images

Feb 2nd 2023|WASHINGTON, DC

In “Goldfinger”, the seventh novel in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, Auric Goldfinger plans to steal $15bn from the federal government with the help of nerve gas, a stolen atomic bomb and operatives from a clutch of different criminal groups. With the emergence of covid-19 in 2020, an evil genius wanting to steal that much had a far easier option than breaking into Fort Knox. Armed only with stolen social security numbers, made-up company names and a large dose of sheer gall, he could simply have got the government to give him the money.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Height of heists”