12/06/2022

Secret Service Says Hackers Linked to Chinese Government Stole Millions in COVID Benefits

The theft is linked to the hacking group known as APT41

Hackers linked to the Chinese government stole at least $20 million in U.S. COVID-19 relief benefits, including Small Business Administration loans and unemployment insurance funds in over a dozen states, according to the Secret Service.

The theft of taxpayer funds by the Chengdu-based hacking group known as APT41 is the first instance of pandemic fraud tied to foreign, state-sponsored cybercriminals that the U.S. government has acknowledged publicly, but may just be the tip of the iceberg, according to U.S. law enforcement officials and cybersecurity experts.

The officials and experts, most speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject matter, say other federal investigations of pandemic fraud also seem to point back to foreign state-affiliated hackers.

Please select this link to read the complete article from NBC News.