Aide to U.S. Rep. Danny Davis charged with COVID-19 fraud

Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune on May 6, 2026

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An aide to longtime Chicago Democratic U.S. Rep. Danny Davis was indicted Wednesday on federal COVID-19 fraud charges alleging he lied about being unemployed to illegally collect nearly $32,000 in pandemic-related subsidies.

Gerard Moorer, 42, of Chicago, who served as Davis’ deputy district director and ran unsuccessfully for the statehouse himself in 2020, was charged in the nine-page indictment with three counts of wire fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

An arraignment is scheduled for May 14 at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse.

Neither Moorer nor his attorney could immediately be reached for comment.

According to the indictment, Moorer defrauded the COVID-19-era Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program beginning in May 2020, when he filed a fraudulent application for benefits claiming he was out of work, even though he was employed by the federal government as Davis’ aide.

Over the next 16 months, Moorer continued to submit fraudulent certifications of his purported unemployment to continue receiving the benefits, the indictment alleged, collecting a total of $31,887 in benefits to which he was not entitled, the indictment alleged.

Davis, 84, has represented Illinois’ 7th Congressional district since 1997, and announced last year that he will retire when his current term expires in 2027.

A spokeswoman for Davis said Wednesday evening the congressman was “just hearing about” the charges against Moorer and had no comment.

Records compiled by the online site LegiStorm show Moorer has worked for Davis in various capacities since 2008 and currently makes about $72,000 a year.

The indictment of Moorer was the second COVID-19-related fraud case brought in recent days by the U.S. attorney’s office, which has said it is following Trump administration priorities “to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal fraud in the federal government entitlement and benefit programs.”

Earlier this week, similar charges were unveiled against Chicago police Sgt. Brandi Wright, who is accused of fraudulently obtaining about $41,000 in Paycheck Protection Program funds.

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(The Tribune’s Dan Petrella contributed.)

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