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Statement from PRAC Chair Michael Horowitz Following Conviction in $10 Million Pandemic Fraud Scheme Investigated by PRAC’s Fraud Task Force
Outcome of trial demonstrates success of PRAC’s Fraud Task Force and its partnerships with Inspectors General and other law enforcement agencies.
11/3/2022
Michael E. Horowitz, Chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC), issued the following statement after a jury convicted Adedayo Ilori for his role in a $10 million fraud case investigated by the PRAC Fraud Task Force and its partner law enforcement agencies. As announced by Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the jury found Ilori guilty for participating in a fraudulent scheme attempting to obtain more than $10 million in pandemic relief funds and that he used $1 million in the stolen funds for, among other things, cryptocurrency investments, the purchase of stocks, and the leasing of luxury apartments and a Mercedes. Ilori’s co-defendant previously pled guilty and received a nine-year prison sentence in October 2022.
“The PRAC and our Inspector General partners launched the Fraud Task Force in January 2021 to enable us to coordinate investigations, exchange information about fraud schemes, and share resources that support investigations across the federal government. To date, the work of the Fraud Task Force and our partners have resulted in hundreds of criminal convictions, lengthy jail sentences for wrongdoers, and the recovery of more than $1 billion,” Horowitz said. “This week’s conviction of Ilori was the first Fraud Task Force case to go to trial and demonstrates the relentless commitment of the Inspector General community and federal prosecutors to bring to justice fraudsters who stole money from pandemic relief programs. The entire federal law enforcement community continues to rise to the challenge of protecting historic amounts of emergency relief money. We appreciate the great work of the investigating agents, as well as U.S. Attorney Williams and his staff for pursuing this case vigorously.”
Read the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York’s press release.
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The PRAC was established by the CARES Act to promote transparency and support independent oversight of the funds provided by the CARES Act and other related emergency spending bills. In addition to its coordination and oversight responsibilities, the PRAC is tasked with supporting efforts to “prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement [and] mitigate major risks that cut across program and agency boundaries.”
If you have additional questions, please contact Lisa Reijula at
lisa.reijula@cigie.gov
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