Labor Dept Sends Strike Team to Probe California’s $21B Jobless‑Fund Debt and Fraud

The U.S. Department of Labor has deployed a specialized 'strike team' to California to investigate improper payments and alleged fraud in the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) system, which is carrying about $21 billion in federal debt after the trust fund was depleted. Citing an 83‑page California State Auditor report that labeled the program 'high-risk' due to inadequate fraud prevention, poor claimant service and a high rate of overturned eligibility decisions, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer said prior administrations 'turned a blind eye' and vowed to 'restore the California UI program’s integrity and financial health.' The team, drawn from national and regional Labor offices, will examine issues including rising improper‑payment rates, data‑quality problems and whether federal COVID relief — part of roughly $290 billion sent to California — was misused as the state rapidly expanded benefits. The article notes at least one EDD steward was convicted of nearly $860,000 in fake claims and that some civilians created sham businesses to draw UI, while Labor’s inspector general warns nearly $1 billion in COVID‑era jobless benefits nationwide remain at risk on 6.5 million prepaid debit cards still holding $720 million. The intervention could ultimately affect how much California employers pay in UI taxes to retire the federal debt, and it fits into a broader federal crackdown on pandemic‑era fraud highlighted by high‑profile scams in states like Minnesota.