Fraud Allegations
On November 9, 2010, the US Attorney's Office, announced an indictment against 11 employees of the Claims Conference and several other individuals for fraud and embezzlement of over $42 million dollars. The Claims Conference management alerted the Federal Bureau of Investigation as soon as it discovered the fraud in 2009, and continues to cooperate with the FBI. On October 19, 2012 The Forward reported the fraud had grown to $57 million dollars.
The conspirators allegedly took out ads in Russian Language newspapers for people who were of a plausible age to have lived through World War II and coached them using their detailed knowledge of the history of the Holocaust to make fraudulent claims in exchange for kickbacks.
On May 20, 2011 The Melbourne Herald Sun reported that one investigation of a suspected fraudulent claim centered on Australian, Alex Kurzem's application for reparations. Kurzem, whose life story is featured in a book titled, The Mascot discussed his support for Nazi war criminal, Karlis Lobe, but also claimed to be a victim of Nazi persecution.
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Famous quotes containing the word fraud:
“There exists in a great part of the Northern people a gloomy diffidence in the moral character of the government. On the broaching of this question, as general expression of despondency, of disbelief that any good will accrue from a remonstrance on an act of fraud and robbery, appeared in those men to whom we naturally turn for aid and counsel. Will the American government steal? Will it lie? Will it kill?—We ask triumphantly.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)