Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act

This bill gives the government more time to go after fraud tied to COVID-era unemployment programs. The deadline to bring criminal charges or civil cases goes from 5 years to 10 years for fraud involving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. It covers crimes like aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and conspiracy, and also civil false-claims cases. It does not reopen cases where the old deadline already ran out.

The bill also pulls back $5 million in unused funds that had been set aside for Department of Labor anti-fraud and program integrity work under the American Rescue Plan, and it takes effect as soon as it becomes law.

• Who is affected: People suspected of fraud in pandemic unemployment programs, and agencies investigating these cases.
• What changes: The filing deadline for cases is extended to 10 years; $5,000,000 in unused anti-fraud funds are rescinded .
• When: Changes start on the date the bill is enacted; the extension does not revive already time-barred cases .