A scam targeting Holocaust survivors was shut down. CC by Adam Jones, Ph.D./Flickr
NBC New York reports that Germany’s government has been subject to a $40 million-plus Holocaust scam the likes of which has never been seen. The U.S. Justice Department indicated that thousands of people with no right to claim Holocaust reparations funds were given money. The FBI has indicated that it was an inside job at the Conference On Jewish Material Claims.
Holocaust scam involves a ton of kickbacks
Many working the Conference On Jewish Material Claims have been getting kickbacks since 1994. The workers approved a group of nearly 5,000 fraudulent Russian immigrants’ applications that were submitted. The claims say homes and possessions were lost during the Nazi oppression by these immigrants. So far 17 people have been charged in the Holocaust scam. According to FBI reports, 4,957 bogus Holocaust reparations claims were filed, and $18 million was stolen with these claims. Another 658 Holocaust fraud cases ended up with losses of $25.5 million. Chair of the Conference, Julius Berman, explained that “it is an affront to human decency.”
How the Holocaust scam was pulled off
Ads were put into Russian-language newspapers to find people who were affected by Nazi war crimes and were alive during that time. The Conference On Jewish Material Claims signed off on the false applications easily as the legitimate applications were duplicated and used again, the FBI says.
Money needed from somewhere for the Holocaust scam
According to NBC New York, the “Hardship Fund” was one of the Jewish Holocaust reparations resources targeted. If individuals proved that they had been hiding during World War II after losing their homes, the fund would pay them $3,600. Anyone who proved that because of Nazi occupation and policies they had been living under harsh conditions would get up to $21,000 per year per individual.
Articles cited
Related: Controversy over “The Holocaust Industry”
