Politics & Government
These NYC Billionaires Got COVID Stimulus Checks: Report
The stimulus checks were meant to help struggling Americans. IRS data reveals 18 billionaires got a piece of the pie, a report says.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — The federal CARES Act was meant to help those who were struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. But a report from ProPublica shows 18 billionaires and more than 200 other wealthy people got a stimulus check, too.
Four of the people named in the report either live in New York City or are tied to companies headquartered there.
They reported taxable income under the CARES Act threshold of $75,000, using deductions and tax write-offs, ProPublica reported.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The billionaires with New York City ties that ProPublica reported received stimulus checks are:
- Ira Rennert, chairman and CEO of Renco Group
- George Soros, investor and hedge fund manager
- Joseph DiMenna, hedge fund manager and managing director of Zweig-DiMenna
- Richard S. Fuld Jr., former chairman and CEO of Lehman Brothers
Soros' representatives told ProPublica he returned his check. Rennert, DiMenna, and Fuld did not comment.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
More information is available via ProPublica.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.