Profiles · Reporters
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- PPP
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The profile
Economic policy correspondent at The New York Times; at The Washington Post (2018–2025) he reported the December 1, 2022 story on the House fintech PPP report and the "Covid Money Trail" series.
Identity and role
Tony Romm is an economic policy correspondent at The New York Times, which he joined in March 2025 from The Washington Post (Editor & Publisher). His byline is on the Post's coverage of fintech PPP fraud and COVID-aid oversight.
Pandemic relief coverage role
Romm reported the December 1, 2022 Washington Post story on how fintech abuse fueled COVID relief fraud, published the day the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis released its fintech PPP report. The story carried the congressional findings on Blueacorn, Womply, Kabbage, and BlueVine: processing fees collected, fraud signals overlooked, "the faster the better" .
He also reported on the oversight budgets of the watchdogs guarding $5 trillion in COVID aid and on the Biden administration's $1.6 billion fraud-prevention request. He reported on the $5.4 billion in aid that may have gone to firms using suspect Social Security numbers (Jan. 30, 2023 story).
Where they are now
The New York Times author page identifies Romm as an economic policy correspondent.
Principals of the companies in the December 2022 story on the House Select Subcommittee report are profiled under Nathan Reis, Stephanie Hockridge, Robert Frohwein and Kathryn Petralia. At the Post, Renae Merle covered the early PPP rollout in April 2020, and Drew Harwell covered the technology side.
Sources held in this archive
Original source documents and archived captures
- Tony Romm, "How rampant abuse by fintech fueled covid relief fraud," Washington Post, Dec. 1, 2022
- Tony Romm, "U.S. watchdogs guarding $5 trillion in covid aid say they need more money," Washington Post, Dec. 28, 2022
- Tony Romm, "White House proposes $1.6 billion to combat 'historic' covid aid fraud," Washington Post, March 2, 2023
- Washington Post author page, Tony Romm
Sources
- Tony Romm, "How rampant abuse by fintech fueled covid relief fraud," Washington Post, Dec. 1, 2022: Tony Romm, "How rampant abuse by fintech fueled covid relief fraud," Washington Post, Dec. 1, 2022 (original: washingtonpost.com · stored capture) (link now dead; copy taken from the Internet Archive, 25 July 2025)
- Tony Romm, "U.S. watchdogs guarding $5 trillion in covid aid say they need more money," Washington Post, Dec. 28, 2022: Tony Romm, "U.S. watchdogs guarding $5 trillion in covid aid say they need more money," Washington Post, Dec. 28, 2022 (original: washingtonpost.com · stored capture) (link now dead; copy taken from the Internet Archive, 7 February 2025)
- Tony Romm, "White House proposes $1.6 billion to combat 'historic' covid aid fraud," Washington Post, March 2, 2023: Tony Romm, "White House proposes $1.6 billion to combat 'historic' covid aid fraud," Washington Post, March 2, 2023 (original: washingtonpost.com · stored capture) (link now dead; copy taken from the Internet Archive, 4 March 2023)
- Tony Romm, "$5.4 billion in covid aid may have gone to firms using suspect Social Security numbers," Washington Post, Jan. 30, 2023: Aid may have gone to firms using suspect Social Security numbers (original: washingtonpost.com · stored capture) (link now dead; copy taken from the Internet Archive, 7 February 2025)
- Editor & Publisher, "Tony Romm joins The New York Times" (March 2025): Tony Romm joins The New York Times (original: editorandpublisher.com · stored capture)
- Washington Post author page, Tony Romm: Washington Post author page, Tony Romm (original: washingtonpost.com · stored capture) (link now dead; copy taken from the Internet Archive, 18 December 2018)
- New York Times author page, Tony Romm: Tony Romm (The New York Times) (original: nytimes.com · stored capture)