Name: Federal task force to target COVID relief fraud cases
Uploaded: 2022-02-16T19:08:16-0500
Duration: 205436
Description: Billions of dollars of federal COVID-19 funds has ended up in the hands of fraudsters, according to the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. U.S. Attorney Michael Francis Easley, Jr launched a new federal task force to go after thieves who are trying to recoup the cash.

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Billions of dollars of federal COVID-19 funds has ended up in the hands of fraudsters, according to the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. U.S. Attorney Michael Francis Easley, Jr launched a new federal task force to go after thieves who are trying to recoup the cash. 

OF FOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. >>> BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN COVID RELIEF MONEY ENDED UP IN THE HANDS OF FRAUDSTERS. THE FEDERAL TASK FORCE NORTH CAROLINA'S GOING AFTER THE THIEVES TO RECOUP THE CASH. JOE FISHER IS LIVE DOWNTOWN. THIS MONEY WAS MEANT TO HELP STRUGGLING BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEIR WORKERS. OR MAC PPP LOANS AND OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT KEPT SO MANY BUSINESSES DURING THE PANDEMIC FROM GOING UNDER, INCLUDING SO MANY RESTAURANTS HERE IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH. NOW WE ARE LEARNING FROM THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT THERE ARE DOZENS OF LOCAL CASES INVOLVING PEOPLE ACCUSED OF CHEATING THE SYSTEM. >> WE WERE LOSING $300,000 PER MONTH IN OUR RESTAURANTS. >> Reporter: HE IS MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN FEDERAL PPP MONEY TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND 300 EMPLOYEES PAID AT HIS NINE RESTAURANTS. >> IT MEANT EVERYTHING TO US AND OUR EMPLOYEES. IT WAS A LEEWAY THAT THEY WOULD SURVIVE. >>> WITH $100 BILLION IN COVID RELIEF MONEY NATIONWIDE, NOT EVERYONE WHO GOT MONEY DESERVED MONEY. >> THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT CRISIS TO PROFIT FOR THEMSELVES. >> Reporter: THIS INCLUDES A 38- YEAR-OLD FROM GARNER WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO WIRE FRAUD AND BANK FRAUD AFTER FILING 14 FRAUDULENT PPP APPLICATIONS SEEKING $6.1 MILLION. HE RECEIVED $1.7 MILLION BEFORE THE SCHEME WAS STOPPED. >> IN MANY INSTANCES YOU WILL SEE FOLKS WILL FILE CLAIMS ON BEHALF OF LEGITIMATE COMPANIES. BUT THOSE COMPANIES ARE COMPANIES ON PAPER THAT DO NOT HAVE ACTUAL OPERATIONS AND DO NOT HAVE ACTUAL EMPLOYEES. >> Reporter: THE NEW TASK FORCE IS TARGETING FRAUD IN THE TRIANGLE BIKE CROSS-REFERENCING TAX RECORDS WITH COVID RELIEF APPLICATIONS, HOPING TO RECOUP THE CASH. >> WE WANT TO ENSURE NOT JUST THAT WE PROSECUTE THOSE WHO COMMIT CRIMES, BUT THAT WE ALSO ENSURE THAT CRIME DOES NOT PAY. SO WE COULD HAVE CIVIL REMEDIES OR FOR FOR TREES FORFEITURES THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT. >> Reporter: THIS DERMA ATTORNEY ALSO PLEADED GUILTY TO BANK FRAUD AND STEALING SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS. SHE STILL 10 LOAN APPLICATIONS LIGHT OF NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT HER LAW FIRM. AND THEN USE MONEY TO PURCHASE SIX PROPERTIES. >> THE MONEY WAS SPENT ON BEACH HOUSES TO COSMETICS. OR MAC WHILE SMALL BUSINESSES WERE STRUGGLING. >> IT WAS DAY TODAY AND THOSE FUNDS BY CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH. >> Reporter: WHICH IS WHY THE RESTAURANTS ARE BOUNCING BACK. THEY THINK ABOUT THE BUSINESSES THAT DID NOT MAKE IT AND THE STOLEN FUNDS THAT COULD HAVE SAVE THEM. >> THOSE ARE SOME FOLKS I DO NOT NEED TO BE OUT THERE IN BUSINESS PULLING AWAY FUNDS FROM THE REST OF US. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL STRUGGLING. FOR MAC NEARLY TWO YEARS INTO THE PANDEMIC IN THE U.S. ATTORNEY SAYS THAT THE FINANCIAL CRIMES THESE INVESTIGATIONS ARE REALLY ONLY BEGINNING. THE TWO PEOPLE WE HEARD IN THE STORY WHO PLEADED GUILTY HAVE NOT YET BEEN SENTENCED, BUT

Maggie Brown

Joe Fisher

Curt Tremper

Federal task force to target COVID relief fraud cases 

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<p>Hi, everyone. Meteorologist Anthony Baglione here on this Friday where we're still looking at some relatively warm temperatures into this afternoon. 83 is where we should hit for a high temperature. Nice and quiet for us until we get later on into late this afternoon into this evening where we're gonna watch the potential for some showers and storms coming through. Not a ton of activity for us as we head later on into tonight. There's a look at rain chances though. They go up to about 50% as we head into that evening time frame. So if you have any plans tonight, if you want to go out and get a Friday evening dinner or something like that, it might be a good idea to a, get the indoor table and then b bring along the reindeer just in case tonight. Here's a look at Future cast. So we time this out looking pretty quiet here the next couple of hours that band back to our west, it should start to weaken as it gets closer to us. It may try and restrengthen them as we get into. Like there's four o'clock you can see on Futurecast 56 o'clock or so, some of those storms could be on the stronger side and then it pushes out of here as we get later on into tonight and then we see maybe a stray shower potential still outline for tomorrow morning. Here's a look at our severe potential today. Level one out of five for most of the viewing area. What this is saying is there could be some isolated pockets where we get some stronger storms. It looks like the best chances for that would be west of us. But gusty winds would be our primary threat as we get into this evening. 78 is where we go for our Saturday. A huge temperature swing there into Sunday at 59 scattered showers are gonna be likely though, especially Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening, they do start to taper off though late Sunday night. So for the Tar Heel 10 miler, that's tomorrow morning, we are proud partners of that. We're going to see temperatures in the sixties for the majority of the forecast there. A stray showers possible, but most of the morning is looking just fine for that event. Tomorrow. We head over the next seven. We go from 83 today all the way down to 59 on Sunday. A rebound of 66 on Monday and then a nice week next week attempts in the seventies, even a few upper sixties there Thursday looking pretty quiet after we get some rainfall there to close out our weekend.</p>

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Good evening. I'm Gayle Hurd. Welcome to tonight's joins for Thursday, April 18th, 2024. Well, let's get started tonight with our Carolina pick three. Our first winning number is a three. Our second number is three also and our third number tonight is two and our pick three. Fireball number is one. Joining me for tonight's drawing is our auditor from mcconal and Jones L LP. Now let's move to the Carolina pick four. Good luck. Everyone is that first winning pick four number. It's a seven. Our second number is six. Third number tonight is seven again and our fourth number is two and our pick for a fireball number is an eight. We're turning now to the Carolina cash five. If no one was the top prize tonight. Tomorrow, our prize is estimated at $235,000. Good luck. Everyone. Who's that first winning cash five number. It's 22. Second number is five third number tonight is it 25. Our fourth number is 10 and the final number in our cash drive this evening is 21. The North Carolina education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education Thanks to your support. Get your winning numbers right here every night in your exclusive station for the North Carolina Education lottery. Thanks for playing. Have a great night.

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Good afternoon. I'm back. Global. Welcome to this news drawings for Thursday, April 18th, 2024. Let's get started with Carolina pick three. The first pick three numbers zero. The second is one, the third is six that are pick three. Fireball number is one. Joining me for this afternoon's drawing is our auditor for a con and Jones L LP. Now move on to Carolina pick for the first four. Number is three. The second is for the third is 54, is seven in our pick four. Fireball number is nine. The North Carolina education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Thanks for your support and thanks for playing.

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After 22 years in business, Armadillo Grill on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh has closed.



WE HAVE MORE RAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND. I'LL SHOW YOU COMING UP. THE LIST OF DOWNTOWN RALEIGH BUSINESSES SHUTTING THEIR DOORS IS ARMADILLO GRILL IS THE LATEST TO CLOSE FOR GOOD. >> WRAL'S SEAN GALLAGHER IS IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH TO FIND OUT WITH THIS MEANS FOR THE GLENN WOOD, SOUTH AREA. SEAN, THIS WAS A SURPRISE TO A LOT OF FOLKS. >> YEAH, THIS WAS VERY ABRUPT SO ABRUPT THAT WE'VE SEEN A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE COMING UP HERE TRYING TO GET LUNCH ON THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THEY'RE MET WITH THIS SIGN ON THE DOOR, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE SHUT DOWN FOR GOOD, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AT THIS LOCATION. NOW, THIS TEX MEX RESTAURANT CALL THE CORNER OF GLENWOOD AVENUE AND TUCKER STREET HOME FOR THE LAST. 22 YEARS. IN A FACEBOOK POST, THE OWNERS SAY CHANGES IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AND RISING COSTS ARE WHY THEY'RE SHUTTING DOWN THIS LOCATION. IT'S THE LATEST IN A STRING OF STAPLE BUSINESSES RALLY, CLOSING CLOUDS BREWING, SHUT DOWN ITS RALEIGH TAVERN ON WEST STREET EARLIER THIS MONTH IN THE CAPITAL CLUB. 16 IS SHUTTING DOWN AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. OUR BELOVED REAL SAID THEY WILL LOOK FOR ANOTHER LOCATION TO SERVE THE RALEIGH COMMUNITY. BUT FOR SHARE MCCRACKEN OF GARDEN SCAPE DESIGNER FOR BUSINESSES AROUND THIS AREA. THIS IS JUST A SIGN OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. >> IT'S ELEVATING RIGHT NOW. PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO KIND OF ROLL WITH IT. NATURALLY COMING TO AN END AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SPOT THAT'S PERFECT FOR THEM. BUT YOU CAN DEFINITELY FEEL THAT THERE IS A CHANGE GOING ON ON THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN RALEIGH. >> AN ARMADILLO GRILL WILL ARE STILL OFFER THEIR CATERING SERVICES HERE AND THEY WILL STILL OPERATE THEIR FLAGSHIP LOCATION IN CARRBORO. BUT RENEE, THAT'S ABOUT 40 MINUTES AWAY RIGHT NEAR UNC CAMPUS. >> WHILE CUSTOMERS WILL HAVE TO DRIVE A LOT FARTHER AND WE WILL SEE WHAT ENDS UP TAKING ITS PLACE. THERE ON GLENWOOD

Glenwood South staple Armadillo Grill closes

Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday Powerball drawings, as shown live on WRAL.

Is powerball. Good evening, everyone. I'm Randy Trainer. Tonight. We have our life changing jackpot. It's estimated to be $80.7 million to get your tickets ready. Here. Come, tonight's winning numbers. Let's start things off this evening with the number 24. Right after that America. We have the number 54 and congratulations to Lisa Hayes from Illinois. She won $2 million playing powerball. All right, the rest of your winning number is 4447. And let's round it out tonight with the number 29 and tonight's win powerball number that's gonna be two and your power play multiplier is two. Let's take a look at tonight's winning numbers. Remember there are multiple ways to win. Good luck, everyone. We'll see you back here on Saturday night. It's time to play America's favorite.

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>> ACROSS AMERICA WITH MEGA JACKPOTS, IT'S MEGA MILLIONS. HELLO, MAYOR COMES ON CODE IS TUESDAY. APRIL 16TH AND TONIGHT'S MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT IS AN ESTIMATED A NEW TIES. 148 MILLION DOLLARS. >> DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. TONIGHT'S DRAWING HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY HALTED. ONCE THE MALFUNCTION IS CORRECTED, THE DRAWING WILL CONTINUE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE AUDITOR. WE SAY TO THE STATION FOR ALL WINNING NUMBERS. >> SPOTTY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POPPING UP HOW

Federal task force to target COVID relief fraud cases

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