Chambers plans to focus on "large-scale criminal enterprises and foreign actors" who stole money meant to help small businesses and unemployed Americans weather the pandemic, according to a department press release.

"The Justice Department remains committed to using every available federal tool—including criminal, civil, and administrative actions—to combat and prevent COVID-19 related fraud," Garland said in a statement. "We will continue to hold accountable those who seek to exploit the pandemic for personal gain, to protect vulnerable populations and to safeguard the integrity of taxpayer-funded programs."

Chambers was co-chair of the litigation and trial department at Latham, where he focused on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases and other white-collar defense work. He also led the firm's diversity committee.

Prior to joining Latham in 2014, Chambers worked as a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., focusing on fraud cases as well as violent crime and drug trafficking. He prosecuted R&B star Chris Brown, who was accused of punching a man in the face outside a Washington hotel and later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in 2014.

"I look forward to this new role and to supporting the excellent work of the department's prosecutors and trial attorneys since the very beginning of the pandemic," Chambers said in a statement. "We are receiving an extraordinary amount of data from our state workforce agency partners. This data holds the key to identifying and prosecuting certain types of fraud, including unemployment insurance fraud. Our Strike Teams will enhance the department's existing efforts and will include analysts and data scientists to review data, agents to investigate the cases, and prosecutors and trial attorneys to bring charges and try the cases."

More than 1,000 people have been charged so far as part of DOJ's effort to crack down on pandemic fraud with alleged losses exceeding $1.1 billion. The department also launched more than 240 civil investigations over alleged mishandling of pandemic relief funding.

The department started a task force under Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco last spring to focus on combating fraud in pandemic relief programs.

Much of the department's enforcement efforts have so far have focused on the Paycheck Protection Program, which gave loans to small businesses suffering with lockdowns and lost business early in the health crisis.

Many observers have expected higher-level enforcement actions against financial institutions who may have enabled fraud. Scrutiny has particularly focused on fintech companies who reportedly approved PPP loans at a breakneck pace.

DOJ has so far not announced charges or resolutions with large financial institutions in connection with COVID-19 fraud cases, but DOJ officials said more criminal and civil actions are expected in the coming months. Those cases may be complicated because Congress required limited underwriting obligations in pandemic loan programs in an effort to quickly get relief to those who needed it.