UK targets culprits of multi-billion COVID loan scams

The United Kingdom on Tuesday announced the launch of a new counter-fraud squad to investigate and prosecute those who defrauded the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Public Authorities Fraud Investigation and Enforcement Service (PAFIES) has commenced tracking suspected fraudsters, using the strongest investigatory tools in a generation.
Investigators can now search suspects’ premises and seize money from fraudsters’ bank accounts if they fail to repay. The window of the operation has been doubled from 6 to 12 years—until 2032.
The latest move followed measures introduced along with the 2024 and 2025 Budgets, which are calculated to have protected £7.5 billion of public mone...