Ellis Boyle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced on Aug. 3 that his office has joined the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division in launching a new anti-fraud task force targeting financial crimes across North Carolina and the Southeast.
The announcement followed a strategic roundtable and press conference led by Deputy Attorney General Colin McDonald in Columbia, South Carolina. The event highlighted collaboration among 18 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, seven State Attorneys General, five federal law enforcement agencies, and over 50 state officials to investigate and prosecute systemic fraud. According to Boyle’s office, “sweeping fraud enforcement actions” are underway as part of this initiative.
The Department of Justice said the National Fraud Enforcement Division created this joint task force to aggressively track, investigate, and prosecute regional financial fraud involving federal taxpayer dollars. The initiative is currently focused on 17 cases prosecuted across seven Southeastern states with more than $350 million in attempted theft from public programs such as SNAP benefits, Small Business Administration loans, federal housing assistance programs, and tax fraud. Federal prosecutors have charged crimes representing over $90 million in losses since July 4 and indicted 12 defendants during that period.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina prosecutes federal crimes and litigates civil matters to protect communities; it employs 119 staff members who work from courthouses located in Raleigh, Fayetteville, Wilmington, New Bern, Greenville and Elizabeth City; covers areas with major military installations like Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune; promotes community safety through initiatives such as Project Safe Neighborhoods; and operates as part of the U.S. Department of Justice, according to the official website.
A recording of the press conference is available online for further information.