🇺🇸 - Five current and former IRS employees have been charged in a scheme to fraudulently collect COVID-19 aid.
According to court documents, the defendants tried to obtain a total of USD 1 million by submitting false applications.
According to the Department of Justice, the defendants used the money for cars, luxury goods and personal travel. Brian Saulsberry of Memphis obtained USD 171 400 and is accused of buying a Mercedes and cushioning a personal investment account.
Tina Humes, also of Memphis, received USD 123 612 according to the DOJ, and is accused of using it to buy jewelry and go on a trip to Las Vegas.
This is part of a larger effort to crack down on COVID-19 fraud schemes that has led to 150 prosecutions and the seizure of USD 75 million dollars.
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America’s bees and beekeepers are losing a valuable ally just when they need its help most.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to soon close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, a 6,500-acre agricultural research station in Maryland that is home to the nation’s premier bee research and disease diagnosis hub, the Beltsville Bee Research Lab.
The closure comes at a critical moment for bees. In winter 2025, many beekeepers lost over half their operations as pesticide-resistant varroa mites spread, bringing deadly viruses. The losses have led to low honey production, and soaring fuel costs have made shipping bees cross-country for agricultural pollination increasingly expensive, further stressing the industry.