Fraud has been the word of the year, as seemingly every day the Department of Justice uncovers another graft operation targeting federal programs. Minnesota alone accounts for billions in scams that come at taxpayer expense.

But the chicanery doesn’t always have to be big: A lot of smaller swindles can add up too, and in this case, the wife of Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) has been caught violating the rules of a government effort to assist struggling businesses during the COVID pandemic. She has not been convicted of anything, but U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro says she’s going to have to give the money, plus civil penalties, back:

The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia announced today that Strand Book Store, Inc. has agreed to pay $1,482,560 because the New York City bookstore violated the False Claims Act by improperly applying for and receiving a second draw loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for which it was not eligible. Strand was ineligible because Senator Ron Wyden’s wife was the owner.

The Paycheck Protection Program was created to save American jobs, not to enrich those who aren’t eligible for taxpayer-funded relief, especially the wife of a U.S. Senator.

Strand Book Store, owned by Nancy Bass Wyden, wife of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, received $932,350 in second draw PPP funds despite a federal law barring businesses controlled by a member of Congress or their spouse from receiving those loans.

Our Fraud and Asset Recovery Division will expose this abuse, pursue those who exploit taxpayer dollars, and hold them accountable. No one gets a pass when it comes to defrauding the American taxpayer.

Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020 to authorize PPP loans to eligible small businesses that were struggling to meet payroll or even keep operating as many states went into prolonged and ineffective lockdowns. Lawmakers approved additional funding in December of that year, but this time they specified that businesses that had a member of Congress or their spouse holding a controlling interest were ineligible.

The DOJ alleges that Wyden’s wife knowingly ignored that rule:

Ms. Wyden made a number of certifications as part of the loan application, including that the spouse of a Member of Congress does not directly or indirectly hold a controlling interest in the applicant. Ms. Wyden’s certification was knowingly and materially false and Strand was not eligible for the second draw loan it received.

Saying something that is “knowingly and materially false…” I know what that sounds like to me, and the word starts with “L.”

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We’re used to seeing lawmakers or their spouses making millions off stock trades, but ripping off COVID relief funds? That’s pretty low — especially considering Ron Wyden is worth an estimated $9-21 million.

At least the DOJ is forcing her to pay up, but she’s lucky she didn’t get a harsher penalty — one that included steel bars.