Daily Archives: October 16, 2023

In the general population, it has been documented that so-called hybrid immunity, from both natural infection with COVID-19 plus COVID-19 vaccination, confers more durable immunity. This is of particular interest in vulnerable populations that are ineligible for vaccination, notably newborns and infants less than 6 months old.

Data presented at IDWeek 2023, taking place October 11-14, in Boston, Massachusetts, demonstrated that natural infection alone in pregnant mothers does not confer durable immunity in their infants, suggesting that maternal vaccination may provide better protection to these infants in the months prior to their own vaccine eligibility.1

The study, presented by Sylvia M. LaCourse, MD, MPH, of the University of Washington, included 107 pregnant participants (mean age, 32 years) who had experienced COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. The status of anti-Spike (anti-S) IgG antibodies and neutralizing antibodies was evaluated through blood sample draws at various timepoints, including during pregnancy, at time of delivery or birth, at less than 3 months postpartum, and 3 to 6 months postpartum. Among the participants, 27% were asymptomatic, 71% had mild to moderate COVID-19 severity, and 2% experienced severe symptoms. Collectively, 2 participants were hospitalized and 7 received treatment related to COVID-19 infection. At time of delivery or birth, 35% of participants remained unvaccinated, 27% were vaccinated, and 35% had received a booster, with 3% having partial vaccination. Overall, 65% of participants had hybrid immunity (vaccination plus infection) at time of delivery or birth.

Blood tests revealed that unvaccinated mothers and their infants were less likely to have anti-S IgG+ antibodies (87% maternal, 86% infant cord blood) at birth versus those who were vaccinated (100% maternal and infant cord blood; all P .01). Results were similar for neutralizing antibodies (unvaccinated maternal: 86%, cord: 75% vs vaccinated maternal: 100% for all; all P .01). At less 3 to 6 months of age, the percent of infants delivered to unvaccinated months with anti-S IgG+ antibodies and neutralizing antibodies dropped to 50% and 14%, respectively, compared with infants delivered to mothers with hybrid immunity, who remained at 100% across both measures (all P <.01). Overall, infants born to unvaccinated mothers with anti-S IgG+ antibodies or neutralizing antibodies displayed lower median antibody levels at birth and through their first 6 months of life compared with infants born to vaccinated mothers.

Notably, those who were vaccinated during pregnancy appeared to have more efficient transplacental transfer of anti-S IgG+ antibodies and neutralizing antibodies versus natural infection alone (anti-S IgG+ antibodies: 97% vs 73%, P <.01; neutralizing antibodies: 86% vs 54%, P = .02), again suggesting that hybrid immunity may confer a greater level of protection to infants.

These findings are in line with conclusions from similar studies, including the MOMI-VAX study2 published in Vaccine earlier this year, which further demonstrated the advantage of a booster dose on antibody levels in both mothers and their cord blood. What's yet to be seen is more clear guidance on timing of vaccination/boosters that may confer the greatest amount of protection to mothers and their newborns.

Click here for more coverage of IDWeek 2023.

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Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination, Infection Boosts Infant Antibody ... - Contagionlive.com

NEWARK, N.J. Two men and one woman of Middlesex County, New Jersey, have pleaded guilty on separate charges related to their roles in fraudulently obtaining over $2.1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Arlen G. Encarnacion, 37, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. On Aug. 8, 2023, Jacquelyn Pena, 37, and Kent Encarnacion, 30, both of Perth Amboy, also separately pleaded guilty before Judge Castner to informations charging each of them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

Enormous amounts of financial relief went to those Americans who were struggling with this unprecedented pandemic, but, sadly, a number of people saw this difficult time as an opportunity to enrich themselves illicitly. Our office is focused on combating all types of fraud, especially when it involves exploiting the suffering of others.

The CARES Act was created to assist to American citizens and businesses that were impacted financially by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Christopher A. Nielsen, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, said. However, as alleged, Arlen Encarnacion, and his co-conspirators, manipulated this critical lifeline through a complex scheme that fraudulently obtained more than $2 million dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.Postal inspectors will continue to work with the U.S. Attorneys Office, and our law enforcement partners, to identify and hold accountable, those individuals who steal pandemic relief to fulfill their own greed.

IRS Criminal Investigations and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate criminal exploitation of this national emergency for personal gain, Tammy Tomlins, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, said. Todays plea sends a clear message that we remain vigilant and will vigorously pursue those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means.

According to the documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. The CARES Act also authorized the Small Business Administration to provide EIDLs of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To obtain a PPP or EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation.

Arlen Encarnacion submitted 11 fraudulent PPP loan applications and three fraudulent EIDL applications on behalf of purported businesses. Kent Encarnacion helped submit one of the fraudulent PPP applications, and Pena helped submit three of the other fraudulent PPP applications. Each application contained false representations, including bogus federal tax return documentation and fabricated information about the number of employees and wages paid. Based on these alleged misrepresentations, lenders, Federal Home Loan Bank members, and the Small Business Administration collectively provided the purported businesses with approximately $2.1 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses. Arlen Encarnacion received the bulk of the fraudulent proceeds, and together with Kent Encarnacion and Pena, they misappropriated all of the funds.

Each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and each count of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Both the wire fraud and money laundering counts carry a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for Arlen Encarnacion is scheduled for Feb. 13, 2024. Sentencing for Kent Encarnacion is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2023, and for Pena, Dec. 13, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger credited postal inspectors of U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; special agents of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney; special agents of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; special agents of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker; special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz; with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office and the Perth Amboy Police Department for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the U.S. Attorneys Offices Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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Three Middlesex County Individuals Admit COVID-19 Fraud ... - Department of Justice

MIAMI The U.S. Attorneys Office, together with federal and local law enforcement partners, announced today federal criminal charges as part of the Department of Justices ongoing initiative to prosecute fraud in connection with COVID-19 pandemic relief programs that offered assistance under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, as well as other crimes relating to the pandemic.

The charges were brought in 17 separate cases filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Collectively, the charges allege that 17 defendants participated in independent schemes to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and participating lenders by fraudulently applying for loans and other relief through the PPP and EIDL program. These programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, the defendants allegedly received $495,171 in assistance unlawfully and used the proceeds to unjustly enrich themselves.

During todays initial hearings, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick M. Hunt in Fort Lauderdale, prosecutors advised the Court that, during the period of the alleged schemes, each of the charged defendants was employed by the Broward Sheriffs Office (BSO). According to court documents, the U.S. Attorneys Office, in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Office of Inspector General for the Board of the Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG), and BSO, has been conducting a criminal investigation to determine whether any BSO employee violated federal law in connection with obtaining or attempting to obtain any form of relief authorized under the CARES Act, such as loans through the PPP and EIDL program.

Todays announcement is a reminder that the South Florida Strike Force remains fully committed to its mission - to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud, stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. The U.S. Attorneys Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to uncover the fraud schemes and hold anyone involved accountable regardless of an individuals role in the community. No matter the amount, we will not allow limited federal tax dollars, which were intended to provide a lifeline to small businesses as they struggled to stay afloat during the economically devastating pandemic lockdown, to be swindled by those who were employed in a position of trust and cast aside their duty to uphold and abide by the law. Our work is not done. This investigation is ongoing.

This investigation sends a message to individuals who knowingly and illicitly capitalized on the COVID-19 national emergency to enrich themselves through the CARES Act at the expense of struggling businesses and their employees, said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. While these programs have ended, our commitment to seeking out those who defrauded them has not.

Todays announcement demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who exploit and defraud financial institutions and the governments pandemic response for personal gain, no matter who they are, said Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I want to commend and thank our agents, the Broward Sheriffs Office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for their efforts and their dedication to the pursuit of justice.

Department prosecutors around the country, including the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Forces, will pursue these SBA pandemic fraud cases for the full 10 years of the extended statute of limitations, said Department of Justice Director of COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Michael C. Galdo. Our partners are closely examining the pandemic data to identify fraud, including fraud by those holding a position of public trust. I would remind anyone who committed fraud, that in order to receive the full benefit from the Departments policy on self-disclosure, you must disclose before law enforcement knocks on your door.

Todays announcement regarding federal charges against more than a dozen Broward Sheriffs Office employees is the culmination of a BSO-initiated Office of Inspector General investigation. The investigation began in November 2021, after the BSO Office of Inspector General became aware of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud as an emerging trend within public service agencies. Shortly thereafter, the BSO Public Corruption Unit received a tip from a BSO employee that several employees may have committed PPP fraud.After being notified that BSO personnel may have participated in fraudulent schemes to defraud the federal government, I ordered an agency-wide investigation of all 5,600 employees from top to bottom.BSO Public Corruption Unit detectives determined more than 100 employees had submitted applications for the PPP loans. Only the employees who did not obtain the loans legally were subject to criminal investigation. To ensure a thorough and objective investigation was conducted, BSO sought out and partnered with the U.S. Attorneys Office, the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. For five years, Ive maintained an organization committed to transparency and accountability.I will continue to expect integrity and commitment to excellence from every BSO employee, Sheriff Gregory Tony said.

The following cases were announced today:

U.S. v. Stephanie Diane Smith, Case No. 23-mj-6477-PMH

On Oct. 11, Stephanie Diane Smith, 53, of Florida, was charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud.

According to the complaint affidavit, Smith applied for and received two PPP loans on behalf of herself as a sole proprietor doing business as Children 1st Basketball Training and Agape Smith Vending, respectively, based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax form submitted with her applications. The complaint further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Smith sought forgiveness of the PPP loans she received. According to the complaint, Smith has been employed by BSO since approximately 1996 and held the title of Deputy Sheriff in BSOs Department of Law Enforcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Snider is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Katrina Brown, Case No. 23-cr-60169-Altman

On Sept. 14, Katrina Brown, 46, of Florida, was charged by indictment with three counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Brown applied for and received two PPP loans on behalf of herself as a sole proprietor, based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with her applications. In addition, Brown submitted an application to the SBA for an EIDL that contained materially false information, including, among other things, the borrowers gross revenues, cost of goods sold, and number of employees.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Jones is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Alexandra Acosta, Case No. 23-cr-60170-Scola

On Sept. 14, Alexandra Acosta, 37, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Acosta applied for and received a PPP loan on behalf of herself as a sole proprietor, based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with her application.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Jones is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. LaKeitha Victoria Lawhorn, Case No. 23-cr-60171-Bloom

On Sept. 14, LaKeitha Victoria Lawhorn, 41, of Florida, was charged by indictment with three counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Lawhorn applied for and received three PPP loans on behalf of herself and her company, Home Empire Enterprises, LLC, based upon materially false information about the borrowers average monthly payroll and annual gross receipts, as well as falsified IRS tax forms submitted with her applications. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Lawhorn sought forgiveness of the fraudulent PPP loans she received.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Snider is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Jewell Farrell Johnson, Case No. 23-cr-60172-Martinez

On Sept. 14, Jewell Farrell Johnson, 46, of Florida, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Johnson applied for and received two PPP loans, one on behalf of herself as a sole proprietor and one on behalf of LRJ Enterprises of South Florida, based upon materially false information about the borrowers average monthly payroll, as well as falsified IRS tax forms submitted with her applications. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Johnson sought forgiveness of the fraudulent PPP loans she received. Additionally, Johnson allegedly applied for a loan through the EIDL program for her company, G.I.G Productions LLC, based upon materially false information about the borrowers annual gross revenue in 2019.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Snider is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Carolyn Denise Wade, Case No. 23-cr-60173-Williams

On Sept. 14, Carolyn Denise Wade, 48, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Wade applied for and received a PPP loan on behalf of herself as a sole proprietor based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with her application. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Wade sought forgiveness of the PPP loan she received.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Snider is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Rorie Brown, Case No. 23-cr-60174-Williams

On Sept. 14, Rorie Brown, 42, of Florida, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Brown applied for and received one PPP loan on behalf of himself as the sole proprietor, based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2020, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application. In addition, Brown submitted an application to the SBA for an EIDL that contained materially false information, including, among other things, the borrowers gross revenues, cost of goods sold, and number of employees.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Jones is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Alexis Monique Greene, Case No. 23-cr-60182-Dimitrouleas

On Sept. 28, Alexis Monique Greene, 47, of Florida, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Greene applied for and received two PPP loans based upon materially false information about the borrowers gross income and purpose for the loan, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with her applications. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Greene sought forgiveness of the PPP loans she received.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Ritchie Noah Dubuisson, Case No. 23-cr-60183-Martinez

On Sept. 28, Ritchie Noah Dubuisson, 25, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Dubuisson applied for and received a PPP loan based upon materially false information about the borrowers gross income and purpose for the loan, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Dubuisson sought forgiveness of the PPP loan he received.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Keshondra Tameisha Davis, Case No. 23-cr-60184-Altman

On Sept. 28, Keshondra Tameisha Davis, 37, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Davis applied for and received a PPP loan based upon materially false information about the borrowers gross income for the year 2019 and purpose for the loan, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with her application. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Davis sought forgiveness of the PPP loans she received.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Allen Dorvil, Case No. 23-cr-60185-Moore

On Sept. 28, Allen Dorvil, 33, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Dorvil applied for and received a PPP loan based upon materially false information about the borrowers gross income and purpose for the loan, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the fraud scheme, Dorvil sought forgiveness of the PPP loan he received.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Jean Pierre-Toussant, Case No. 23-cr-60189-Moore

On Oct. 5, Jean Pierre-Toussant, 35, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Pierre-Toussant applied for and received one PPP loan on behalf of himself as a sole proprietor based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha Mitrani is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Kleo is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Ancy Morancy, Case No. 23-cr-60191-Bloom

On Oct. 5, Ancy Morancy, 33, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Morancy applied for and received one PPP loan on behalf of himself as the sole proprietor of Moore Services Investment Group, LLC, based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha Mitrani is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Marcus Errol Powell, Case No. 23-cr-60192-Gayles

On Oct. 5, Marcus Errol Powell, 37, of Florida, was charged by indictment with one count of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Powell applied for and received one PPP loan on behalf of himself as the sole proprietor of Bonvivant Industries, LLC, based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2020, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha Mitrani is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Delgado is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Derrick J. Nesbitt, Case No. 23-cr-60193-Huck

On Oct. 5, Derrick J. Nesbitt, 46, of Florida, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Nesbitt applied for and received two PPP loans on behalf of himself as the sole proprietor of Designer Life, LLC, based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha Mitrani is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. Keith Dunkley, Case No. 23-cr-60197-Smith

On Oct. 6, Keith Dunkley, 46, of Florida, was charged by information with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to the information, Dunkley conspired to cause the submission of false and fraudulent applications and received funds for one PPP loan and one EIDL on behalf of himself as a sole proprietor and for Global Group Alliances, LLC, which applications included materially false information about, among other things, the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Jones is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. v. George Anthony III, Case No. 23-cr-80168-Cannon

On Sept. 14, George Anthony III, 50, of Florida, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, Anthony applied for and received one PPP loan on behalf of himself as a sole proprietor based upon materially false information about the borrowers total gross business income for the year 2019, as well as a falsified IRS tax form submitted with his application. In addition, Anthony unsuccessfully applied for a second PPP loan using the same false information.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Jones is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriffs Office (BSO) made the announcement.

FBI Miami, FRB-OIG, and BSO investigated these cases.

The maximum sentence for a wire fraud conviction is 20 years in prison. The maximum sentence for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud conviction, as charged, is 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment, information, and complaint contain mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the departments response to the pandemic, please visithttps://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Floridas U.S. Attorneys Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fr.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form athttps://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.govunder the case numbers referenced above.

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Seventeen Broward Sheriff's Office Employees Charged with COVID ... - Department of Justice

Mecklenburg County Public Health is offering the new COVID-19 vaccine boosters and flu shots at select clinic locations. No appointment is necessary.Residents can walk into select Public Health clinics beginning Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023.

The updated COVID-19 booster is available at no cost to those who are uninsured or underinsured via the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Bridge Access Program. Residents with private insurance are encouraged to go to their primary care provider or local retail pharmacies, like CVS or Walgreens, to avoid any potential cost sharing.

"We are excited our shipments of the new COVID-19 boosters finally arrived and look forward to serving residents starting today, said Glenda Dancy, Mecklenburg County Public Health assistant director of Clinical Services.

Locations:

Northwest Public Health Clinic 2845 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216

Southeast Public Health Clinic 249 Billingsley Road, Charlotte, NC 28211

Hours:

Monday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The end of the Public Health Emergency made this falls rollout a bit more layered. But the timing is perfect as we are experiencing cooler weather, and many activities are moving indoors. I urge residents to make sure you and your family are protected with the COVID-19 booster as well as the flu vaccine. When each of us takes responsibility, the most vulnerable among us will be safer, said Dr. Raynard Washington, director of Mecklenburg County Public Health.

As evidenced by wastewater testing sites, Mecklenburg County is seeing high levels of transmission of the COVID-19 virus in our community. Treatments available for COVID-19 and flu can reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Everyday actions of covering coughs, frequent hand washing, wearing masks, and staying home if you are sick can help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses.

The CDC recommends the COVID-19 booster and the flu vaccine for all persons six months of age and older.

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New COVID-19 Booster and Flu Shot Available at Select Public ... - Mecklenburg County (.gov)

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribunes daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

A sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employees of private Texas businesses passed the Texas Senate early Friday, although medical facilities would be allowed to enact other policies to help lower the risks to vulnerable patients.

Senate Bill 7, by Galveston Republican Sen. Mayes Middleton, would subject private employers to state fines and other actions if they fire or punish employees or contractors who refuse the shot.

The bill offers no exceptions for doctors offices, clinics or other health facilities, but senators did agree to allow those entities to require unvaccinated employees to wear personal protective gear such as face masks or take other reasonable measures to manage the spread.

The legislation passed on a 19-12 party line vote just after midnight and is heading to the House, where similar efforts stalled out earlier this year. It now awaits referral to a House committee.

The vote comes after years of Republican attempts to reign in COVID-related restrictions like mask mandates and vaccine requirements. Supporters said the bill is critical to support individual rights to make their own health care decisions without negative consequences to their livelihoods.

No one should be forced to make that awful decision between making a living for their family and their health or individual vaccine preference, Middleton told senators during a bill hearing earlier this week.

Opponents argued that the coronavirus is still dangerous to many people, that it can lead to long COVID even in those who experience mild symptoms, and that the ban takes away the ability of health care professionals to institute vaccine policies that lower the risk of viral spread for their patients. It also, some critics say, infringes on the rights of business owners to make their own policy decisions.

Including health care facilities and doctors offices in the ban triggered objections by two members of the Senate Health and Human Services committee who have had kidney transplants Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, and Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston.

It also drew skepticism by the Republican chair of the committee, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, who on Thursday supported allowing health care facilities to enact other policies for employees who choose not to be vaccinated.

I think that we've been able to put the words in place that give us a good sound policy, that going forward if a health care worker does not want to be vaccinated, that the hospital or the health care facility can help mitigate that with mask and gloves and different things, but it has to be reasonable, Kolkhorst said during the floor debate.

Experts in the medical and scientific community say the COVID-19 vaccine does not prevent the spread entirely, but it can reduce transmission and significantly diminish symptoms and severity of the illness.

Bill purists fought against allowing health care providers to circumvent, even slightly, the ban proposed by Middletons legislation and wanted to see it passed as originally written.

Both Middleton and state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, have openly said they dont trust the vaccines safety and efficacy. Hall said earlier this week that he believes the pandemic and vaccine response was a test by the government to find out how people will react when the state forces them to mask up, lock down, and take a vaccine then subsequently controls their lives.

In late 2021, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning the mandates, but it led to confusion over who was covered by the order and how enforceable it was. That order expired in June, triggering a legislative attempt to codify it during the regular session earlier this year. After that attempt failed, Abbott added the issue to the agenda for this years third special legislative session.

A new state law banning governmental entities from requiring the COVID-19 vaccine went into effect last month.

Kolkhorst said earlier this week that the debate comes down to a mistrust of science stemming from a lack of what she and some others believe is reliable data on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Legislation she and Middleton carried during the regular session earlier this year included exemptions for all private employers that allow employees to opt out for medical or conscience reasons.

It also would have exempted health care facilities from the ban on vaccine mandates as long as they didnt force employees to take it if their doctors determined they were medically not a good candidate.

In both cases, the business or facility also would have been required to have procedures for unvaccinated staff to protect other employees from exposure.

That bill passed the Senate but died near the end of the regular session in May without a hearing in a House committee. A similar effort died in 2021 after business groups rallied against it.

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Ban on COVID vaccine mandates by private businesses, including ... - The Texas Tribune

You just got your COVID-19 shot, and youre feeling like crap. You know its worth it, but BOY, it doesnt feel that way.

Thats a common reaction:

But even theyre no fun, side effects can be an excellent sign your shot is starting to protect you. A brand new study (a pre-print, meaning it has yet to be peer-reviewed and so should not be seen as final or definitive) from researchers at the University of California San Francisco, found that if you have chills, fatigue, fever and/or headache after your vaccine, your body makes more antibodies against the virus compared to those who didnt have side effects (these antibodies are detectable at both one month and six months following immunization.) The study reports that the more of these symptoms you have, the more antibodies youll have; also, if your heart rate increases and your skin feels warm, thats a further indication that your immune system is revving up.

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Evidence does suggest that local and systemic reactions to the COVID shot may mean they are building more robust protection, says Onyema Ogbuagu, MBBCh, FACP, FIDSA, a COVID vaccine/infectious disease expert and assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT.

Just as with all vaccines, a COVID shot mobilizes your bodys immune response. Your immune systems job is to battle any germ or virus that enters your body, and when you get vaccinated (in this case, with mRNA or a protein subunit) the shot creates antibodies that recognize the latest strain of COVID. If you are exposed to the actual virus, your immune system will remember the germ or virus you were immunized against, and send out those antibodies to fight it.

This falls updated COVID vaccine is new, but it does not produce new, unknown or harsher side effects. I get that people might be worried about getting new shots, including the new booster, says Dr. Ogbuagu. But its important to know that the COVID-19 vaccine, and COVID-19 boosters are very safe. We havent seen any serious problems with side effects. The new booster uses the same technology as the other COVID vaccines do its simply been changed to target the newest strain of the virus, the same way that the flu shot is changed every year. The shot has been rigorously tested.

According to Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, the new COVID vaccine is monovalent, which means its meant to target one strain of COVID, the XBB.15 variant, the latest version of Omicron likely to make you sick.

However, the Centers for Disease Control does note that there are common symptoms associated with this vaccine and previous ones, including:

But remember: If you have side effects, theyre usually due to your immune system responding to the vaccine, which is how vaccines work, says Shira Doron, MD, chief infection control officer for Tufts Medicine health system and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA.

If you dont have side effects, you can still rely on the vaccines effectiveness, says Judith ODonnell, MD, professor of infectious diseases at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and section chief of infectious diseases at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia. Although most people experience one or two side effects, there are some people who dont have any, she says. Side effects are related to your immune system recognizing the antigen or foreign protein in the vaccine and responding. However, everyones immune system is unique to them, and responds uniquely when presented with something foreign from a vaccine.

As the research shows, side effects may indicate your system got a nice boost against COVID. Still, fewer side effects, less severe ones or a lack of any side effects doesnt mean you're not well-protected it simply shows that your bodies are different. You dont need to worry if youre one of the lucky ones that doesnt have side effects, adds Dr. Doron. The immune system is complex, and the vaccine is still working even if you dont feel it.

Data from the University of Alabama at Birmingham notes that mRNA vaccines, like the COVID shot, deliver their payload and then quickly leave your body, so this eliminates the concern of any long-term side effects. Most side effects last 2448 hours, says Dr. ODonnell. Arm soreness can sometimes last a little longer.

According to Yale New Haven Health, you can reduce any discomfort you have by using an ice pack or cool damp cloth on the injection site, or by taking a nice cool bath. You can also take an OTC pain medication if you dont have any other conditions that preclude that. Drinking extra water for a day or two can also help you feel better.

As is the case after having any vaccine or taking any medication, Yale New Haven Health also advises that if you experience any emergency symptoms like trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure, trouble staying conscious, feeling confused, or having blue skin on your mouth or face, you should call 911. Again, however, this is very unlikely.

The bottom line: Getting COVID-19 carries way more baggage than any side effects you might get from the vaccine, Dr. Ogbuagu sums up. We know that about two out of every 10 people who get COVID will develop long COVID. Plus, there could be many long-term effects COVID can have on a persons health that we dont even know about yet. So get your shot, and try to look at the bright side of side effects that theyre a good sign, and will be gone soon.

As more information about the coronavirus pandemic develops, some of the information in this story may have changed since it was last updated. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, please visit online resources provided by the CDC, WHO, and your local public health department.

Contributing Writer

Lisa is an internationally established health writer whose credits include Good Housekeeping, Prevention, Mens Health, Oprah Daily, Womans Day, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Harpers Bazaar, Esquire, Glamour, The Washington Post, WebMD, Medscape, The Los Angeles Times, Parade, Health, Self, Family Circle and Seventeen. She is the author of eight best-selling books, including The Essentials of Theater.

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What Are the Side Effects of the 2023 COVID Vaccine? Experts ... - Good Housekeeping