Federal authorities are investigating an international, coronavirus-related scam that conned a California healthcare union into believing it struck a deal for hospitals to buy 39 million N95 face masks, according to a report.
The FBI and prosecutors in Pennsylvania uncovered the scheme while trying to determine whether the personal protective equipment could be seized under the Defense Production Act that President Trump invoked last month, the Los Angeles Times said.
“We believe we disrupted fraud,” Pittsburgh US Attorney Scott Brady told the paper.
The Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents more than 160 hospitals and health care systems across the state, was among the organizations that planned to purchase the masks, according to an announcement that the United Health Care Workers West made late last month.
Source: Feds investigate coronavirus scam over deal for 39 million face masks
