New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law state Senator Zellnor Myrie’s “COVID-19 Fraud Accountability Act”, which increases penalties for white collar crimes committed in connection with COVID-19.
The bill, which was both written and sponsored by Myrie, increases the civil financial penalties for fraudulent white collar crimes, specifically — according to the bill — “fraud in connection with an abnormal disruption of the market.” New York saw an uptick in such crimes during the pandemic, as fraudsters took advantage of vulnerable people in need of healthcare, financial assistance, or even items like masks — and took advantage of public assistance programs meant for those suffering financial hardship because of the pandemic.
