(WWJ) The State of Michigan has doled out unemployment benefits to more than 2 million residents since mid-March.
The Unemployment Insurance Agency said 2.1 million Michiganders have received $11.4 billion in federal and state benefits since March 15, five days after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Michigan.
93% of "eligible claimants" have either received or been approved for benefits; according to a press release from the State Emergency Operations Center.
Most of the remaining 7% of accounts are flagged for possible fraud.
Nearly two thirds of the accounts that were flagged for possible fraud due to criminal acts have been vetted through identity verification.
The State says 200,000 of 340,000 accounts were quickly cleared, allowing the person to receive their benefits again within days. They have also cleared half of the nearly 200,000 newly flagged accounts.
A staff of over 850 people are currently working to verify the 140,000 accounts; and to get benefits to those who are due, according to state officials.
The Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force, led by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, lead the effort to find and prosecute people suspected of unemployment fraud.
They also worked to establish further fraud protections, including additional verification steps and a stop payment hold on suspicious accounts. The U.S. Secret Service issued a warning in May of a criminal ring targeting unemployment benefits.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists Michigan's unemployment rate as 21.2% in May, down from 24% in April.
