Fraud
After Losing Billions to Scammers, This COVID Aid Program Won't Require All Loans To Be Repaid
But that decision seems to violate federal law.
The IRS Sprang a Leak
Plus: Donald Trump's creative accounting, those sneaky vegans, brain drain, and more...
Trump's Absurd Property Valuations Confirm His Disregard for Reality
The former president's lawyers argued that even the square footage of his apartment was a "subjective" judgment for which he cannot be held accountable.
How Rudy Giuliani's Drinking Habits Could Hurt Trump's Defense
Special Counsel Jack Smith reportedly is keenly interested in whether the former New York mayor gave Trump legal advice while intoxicated.
Trump's Georgia Indictment Raises Familiar Questions of Knowledge and Intent
The defendants will claim their alleged "racketeering activity" was a sincere effort to rectify election fraud.
Trump and 18 Others Charged With Election-Related Crimes in Georgia
Plus: The beauty of microschools, the futility of link taxes, and more...
Here Is Why Trump's Lawyers Say His Post-Election Conduct Was Constitutionally Protected
When he alleged fraud and sought help from government officials, they say, Trump was exercising rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Have We Lost Track of the Trump Indictments Yet?
Plus: Why don't journalists support free speech anymore?
Trump's Prosecution Could Be Stymied by the Blurry Line Between Deceit and Self-Delusion
His state of mind when he tried to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election remains a mystery, perhaps even to him.
Crisis Pregnancy Centers File Free Speech Suits Over Illinois and Vermont Laws
Plus: California tries to stop professors from testifying in suit over COVID education policies, state Republicans aren't all abandoning free market economics, and more...
Progressives and Populist Republicans Are Coming for Your Credit Card Rewards
New legislation would intervene in the credit card market to help businesses like Target and Walmart, who don't like the fees they have to pay to accept credit card payments.
Does Trump's 'Alternate' Electors Plan Justify Criminal Charges Against Them and Him?
The alleged state and federal felonies involve intent elements that may be difficult to prove.
Scammers Stole $200 Billion From Two Federal COVID Aid Programs
A new audit says one out of every $6 distributed by the Small Business Administration during the pandemic was stolen.
Over $400 Billion in COVID Aid Was Stolen or Wasted
A new Associated Press analysis of government data suggests 10 percent of all COVID aid was lost to fraud or theft. That figure will likely grow.
George Santos Arrested, Indicted on 13 Federal Counts, Pleads Not Guilty
The serial fabulist is accused of wire fraud and lying to Congress.
Trump's New York Indictment Turns One Hush Payment Into 34 Felonies
Prosecutors are counting each record misrepresenting the former president's reimbursement of that payment as a separate crime.
Donald Trump's Historic Indictment: 34 Counts of Business Fraud and a 'Not Guilty' Plea
Trump is charged with 34 criminal counts connected to the payment of $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 as part of a nondisclosure agreement.
It Looks Like Donald Trump Will Finally Be Indicted Later Today
Plus: Debating whether GPT-4 actually understands language, U.S. immigration law stops a college basketball star from scoring, and more...
Apocalypse Tomorrow: Trump's Looming Indictment
Plus: the terrible case for pausing A.I. innovation
The Shaky New York Case Against Trump Reeks of Desperation To Punish a Reviled Political Opponent
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is relying on debatable facts and untested legal theories to transform minor misconduct into a felony.
A Class Action Reveals the Horrifying Truth: 'Boneless Wings' Are Breast Meat!
Lawyers representing an allegedly duped Buffalo Wild Wings customer demand that the company disgorge its ill-gotten gains.
SCOTUS Questions the Government's Absurdly Broad Definition of 'Aggravated Identity Theft'
According to the Justice Department's reading of the law, the crime need not involve impersonation or even fraud.
What the Madoff Series Left Out
A Netflix documentary series blames the SEC for missing the Ponzi scheme and then calls for giving the SEC more power.
Want Less Corruption? Try Having Smaller Government.
People can never be made incorruptible. We can, however, design governmental systems filled with checks and balances that limit the temptations.
The USDA Can't Stop Organic Food Fraud
It's time to return oversight to industry groups and the states.
Government Watchdog Finds $60 Billion in Pandemic Unemployment Fraud, Suggests Maybe Doing Something About It
Despite multiple warnings in the past, the Department of Labor has yet to implement a comprehensive strategy for detecting unemployment insurance fraud.
The Political Lies That Really Matter
From George Santos to Joe Biden, résumé padding is unacceptable. But it's all the lies about legislation we can't afford.
FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried Used Customer Assets to Fund Political Donations, Says SEC
Plus: moral panic about department stores, the obvious cause of homelessness, and more...
Congress Has a New Scapegoat for COVID Fraud: Banking Apps
Fintech platforms facilitated fraud in the Paycheck Protection Program, according to a new congressional report.
Did Sam Bankman-Fried's Millions Buy the Media's Loyalty?
The mainstream coverage of SBF and FTX is more than a little blasé.
Bankrupt Crypto Exchange FTX Under Investigation
Plus: Democrats retain control of Senate, RIP Sharon Presley and Martin Wooster, and more...
Texas Pete Hot Sauce the Latest Victim in Exploding Trend of Cynical False Labeling Lawsuits
A handful of law firms are behind a spike in class-action lawsuits claiming consumers are harmed by opaque, half-full macaroni boxes and "all natural" fiber supplements.
Millions of PPP Loans Were Flagged as Potentially Fraudulent. Many Were Never Investigated.
A new report takes an illustrative look inside the Small Business Administration, which was clearly overwhelmed by the obligation to push unprecedented piles of money out the door quickly.
New York Attorney General Sues Trump for Fraud, Seeks $250 Million in Restitution
In a press conference, Letitia James accused the former president of routinely misstating the values of his properties for personal financial gain.
Brett Favre Goes on Welfare
How the former NFL quarterback convinced Mississippi to spend its public assistance money on a volleyball facility.
Blame Congress for Pandemic Fraud
The inconvenient truth behind all the COVID-19 relief fraud and waste is that these government programs never should have been designed as they were.
Watchdog Report: At Least 20 Percent of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Dollars Wasted
A new report from the Government Accountability Office found that nearly $80 billion was paid out to ineligible beneficiaries or outright fraudsters.
Man Receives 3 Years in Federal Prison for Using COVID Relief Funds on a Pokémon Card
The punishment is a bit rich considering the government's own mishandling of pandemic cash.
Former NYPD Union President Charged With Stealing Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars of Members' Dues
Ed Mullins, known for combatively defending bad police behavior and the drug war, charged with wire fraud by the Department of Justice.
Georgia Election Investigation Fails, Once Again, To Find Massive Voter Fraud
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger claimed that over 1,000 people voted more than once. He now admits that number is far lower.
