Ongoing efforts to ensure accountability in pandemic-related matters may face challenges with the dissolution of the inspector general's office.
The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR), the office responsible for overseeing the federal funds spent in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, closed on March 27, 2021. The team that worked tirelessly to ensure the funds were used appropriately and without corruption left no stone unturned.
The SIGPR team, led by senior special agent Eric D. Radwick, was commended for their collaborative efforts. There were no egos among them, and they worked together without trying to outdo each other. Radwick, in a LinkedIn post after the office's closure, praised his experienced colleagues, describing their work as unlike anything he had seen before.
SIGPR's investigations into the federal funds related to the COVID-19 pandemic are ongoing. Unresolved cases are currently being handled by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). However, the DOJ did not respond to a request for comment regarding how many referred cases it's handling from SIGPR.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is the head of the Inspectors General Caucus and backed two bills to reauthorise SIGPR for an additional five years: the COVID Spending Transparency Act in the 118th Congress and the Complete COVID Collections Act in the current Congress. Unfortunately, neither bill received legislative action.
SIGPR was specifically responsible for oversight of the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP) and the Direct Loan Program. The MSLP provided $17.5 billion in loans to small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits, while the Direct Loan Program offered $2.7 billion in loans to air carriers and national security businesses.
Borrowers are required to pay back 70% of their MSLP loan in the fifth year, which coincided with SIGPR's expiration. Since 2020, SIGPR's work has yielded more than $196.5 million in financial benefits, which is more than three times the $62.3 million appropriated to the office.
In 2022, a Florida man pleaded guilty to fraudulently receiving pandemic assistance loans, amounting to approximately $2.6 million. In 2020-2021, an Oklahoma woman was sentenced to 20 months for using an MSLP loan for her business to build a home and buy a luxury SUV.
SIGPR's work has resulted in 71 federal indictments, 49 arrests, 32 guilty pleas, and 18 sentencings. Despite the office's closure, these cases will continue to be pursued by the relevant authorities.
Eric D. Radwick, in his LinkedIn post, expressed concerns that some unfinished cases may not result in consequences or recovered funds. However, he considered SIGPR's closure as the perfect ending to his federal career.
Sen. Joni Ernst's efforts to reauthorise SIGPR demonstrate her commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of federal funds. While the office's closure marks the end of a chapter, the work it started will continue to be carried on by other agencies and authorities.
