Chinese hackers have reportedly stolen millions worth of COVID-19 aid funds

China-based hackers have stolen at least $20 million (about 1.65 billion rupees) in US Covid relief, including unemployment insurance funds and Small Business Administration loans, NBC news reported, citing the country’s intelligence agency. Hackers linked to the Chinese government come from a Chengdu-based group called APT41. According to the report, other federal investigations into pandemic fraud also appear to point to hackers linked to foreign states.

“It would be crazy to think that this group hasn’t targeted all 50 states,” said Roy Dotson, national coordinator for pandemic fraud recovery at the Secret Service. said ABC.

US intelligence declined to confirm the scope of further investigations.

They said there are over 1,000 ongoing investigations involving transnational and domestic criminal actors defrauding public welfare programs, and APT41 is “a notable actor,” according to NBC news.

In recent months, the US has seen a surge in espionage cases from China.

Last month, the US government indicted 13 people, including members of China’s security and intelligence apparatus and their agents, in three separate counts of alleged attempts to exercise illegitimate influence in the United States on behalf of their government.

“As these cases demonstrate, the Chinese government has attempted to interfere with the rights and freedoms of individuals in the United States and to undermine our judicial system that protects those rights. They didn’t succeed,” said US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. as quoted in the Justice Department press release.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by any foreign power to undermine the rule of law on which our democracy is based. We will continue to vigorously protect the rights guaranteed to everyone in our country. And we will defend the integrity of our institutions. ‘ Garland added.

Seven Chinese nationals were charged – two of whom were arrested in New York on October 20 – of participating in a program to forcibly repatriate a PRC national living in the United States.

The defendants are accused of surveilling a US citizen and participating in a campaign to harass and force a US citizen to return to Beijing as part of an international extrajudicial repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.”