Christopher Parris of Atlanta, Georgia has been arrested and charged with wire fraud for attempting to sell millions of nonexistent respirator masks to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in exchange for large upfront payments. Parris made a series of misrepresentations in an attempt to get the VA to secure orders for up to 125 million face mask and other personal protective equipment (PPE) which would have totaled over $750 million.

A warrant authorizing a search of property and the seizure of a vehicle implicitly included a search of the property for police to seize the vehicle’s keys, the Eighth Circuit recently held.

On FEDtalk this week, join host Tony Vergnetti to hear about some of the important resources available to federal employees and recommendations for federal employees during these times of financial uncertainty and vulnerability brought on by the COVID-19 crisis. It is especially critical for federal employees to obtain information that is credible and easy to understand.

“I’m overwhelmed” has never been echoed amongst LEOs across all agencies more than it is right now. Officers are concerned over decisions and actions/inactions in the performance of duties and/or managing incarcerated individuals, parolees, subjects, targets, COVID related crimes, etc. Supervising agents are also concerned about managing employees.

Made by first responders for first responders, Resilient Minds on the Front Lines is a new regular webcast to help those on the front lines handle the emotional toll of the pandemic.

The Department of Homeland Security announced last week a specialized team dedicated to procurement related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Procurement & Acquisition Innovation Response (PAIR) Team is providing support to DHS components, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in reviewing, vetting, and coordinating procurement inquiries.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology released an update to their Guidelines for Managing the Security of Mobile Devices in the Enterprise. This update to the mobile device guidelines is the first since 2013 and, while it was not done due to the surge in employees on telework, NIST leaders do note its particular importance during the current situation.

A federal complaint has been filed against a San Antonio man for perpetuating a hoax related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Christopher Charles Perez has been charged with one count of violating a US law which criminalizes false information and hoaxes related to weapons of mass destruction.

In a complaint filed in the United States Court of Federal Claims, five federal employees, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, alleged that they performed work “with or in close proximity to objects, surfaces, and/or individuals infected with the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”).” On March 27, 2020, in their complaint, the employees alleged they were entitled to, but did not receive, hazardous duty pay differential for exposure to virulent biologicals set forth in federal regulations.

WAEPA understands the fear a pandemic such as COVID-19 can cause. If you’re a Civilian Federal Employee, you may be concerned whether your life insurance would cover a death from the coronavirus.

The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings when in public settings. Here is a quick guide to making your own masks at home with some basic household items.

Congress did not intend to give the Department of Veterans Affairs carte blanch to impose penalties against non-executive career employees without review, the Federal Circuit held this week.

The coronavirus pandemic has required all hands to be on deck in the federal government. To match the president’s call for a whole of government response, federal agencies are shifting strategies and collaborating in new ways to better serve the American people.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), as part of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force, has recovered a significant number of N95 respirator masks from price gougers looking to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the DOJ and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are working together to redistribute the items to medical centers in need.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued specific guidelines for law enforcement to help officers stay safe during the current COVID-19 public health crisis. Sadly, no segment of our population will escape this persistent virus, including our law enforcement community. Officers are already used to facing the unknown, but this invisible enemy poses an immediate threat, not only to an officer, but to the officer’s family and coworkers.

Responding to a pandemic is mentally taxing. Here are tips for coping from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Tune in to FEDtalk this week to hear about the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. Joining our host, Tony Vergnetti, will be National Commissioners Debra Wada and Tom Kilgannon. They will discuss ways to revitalize service in our country.

The Senate has passed H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This bill is the largest stimulus package in U.S. history and contains significant economic aid for agencies responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance relating to properly vetting employees during the coronavirus pandemic. Many federal, state, and local offices that take fingerprints are currently closed due to measures associated with the coronavirus, raising questions about how to properly vet new employees.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Sunday that it has issued its first action in federal court to combat fraud related to the coronavirus. The DOJ previously announced it is prioritizing the detection, investigation, and prosecution of illegal conduct related to the pandemic.