WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: The Department of Justice announced today federal criminal charges against 47 defendants for their alleged roles in a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. "These indictments, alleging the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme charged to date, underscore the Department of Justice's sustained commitment to combating pandemic fraud a  more