Kudlow, speaking on on CNBC's "Squawk Box," said that businesses, and particularly small businesses, should not have to face what he called "trial lawyers putting on false lawsuits."

"You've got to give the businesses some confidence here that if something happens, and it may not be their fault - the disease is an infectious disease - if something happens, you can't take them out of business," Kudlow said  "You can't throw big lawsuits at them. And I think liability reforms and safeguards are going to be a very important part of it."

The Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") is proposing new rule 17 CFR 270.2a-5 ("rule 2a-5") under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act" or the "Act") that would address valuation practices and the role of the board of directors with respect to the fair value of the investments of a registered investment company or business development company (a "fund"). The proposed rule would provide requirements for determining fair value in good faith with respect to a fund for purposes of section 2(a)(41) of the Act. This determination would involve assessing and managing material risks associated with fair value determinations; selecting, applying, and testing fair value methodologies; overseeing and evaluating any pricing services used; adopting and implementing policies and procedures; and maintaining certain records. The proposed rule would permit a fund's board of directors to assign the fair value determination to an investment adviser of the fund, who would then carry out these functions for some or all of the fund's investments. This assignment would be subject to board oversight and certain reporting, recordkeeping, and other requirements designed to facilitate the board's ability effectively to oversee the adviser's fair value determinations. The proposed rule would include a specific provision related to the determination of the fair value of investments held by unit investment trusts, which do not have boards of directors. The proposed 2 rule would also define when market quotations are readily available under section 2(a)(41) of the Act. If rule 2a-5 is adopted, the Commission would rescind previously issued guidance on the role of the board of directors in determining fair value and the accounting and auditing of fund investments.

• Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19. 
• Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19.  Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating.  For example, they might use "cdc.com" or "cdc.org" instead of "cdc.gov." 
• Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes.  Legitimate health authorities will not contact the public this way. 
• Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
• Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.  Keep your operating system up to date as well.  
• Ignore offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment.  Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you will not hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch. 
• Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies.  Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items. 
• Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like "CDC" or "government" in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials.  For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website. 
• Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail.  Do not send money through any of these channels.

[F]rom April 2009 through October 2009, Bekkedam made material misrepresentations and omissions and failed to disclose conflicts of interest when soliciting his clients and others to invest in a fund that allegedly purchased lawsuit settlements from Rothstein. The complaint alleged, among other things, that Bekkedam misrepresented the level of due diligence that he had performed on the investment.

Bailey started Renew at a single location in Florida to provide minimally invasive spinal surgery. According to the SEC's complaint, Bailey sought to expand Renew's business by raising money from investors in a series of offerings to establish Renew-branded clinics throughout the country. Mitchell, Grossnickle, and Goubert, directly and through a commissioned sales staff, offered and sold the securities to investors using information obtained from Bailey through intermediaries. The offering documents represented to investors that their funds would be used to establish and market one or more designated Renew clinics, and provided the right to receive "success marketing fees" for each procedure performed at those clinics. The offerings raised approximately $15 million for 29 clinics. Although the offering documents stated that no sales commissions would be paid, Mitchell, Grossnickle, and Goubert allegedly misused approximately $7.6 million of the investor funds to take cash distributions, pay proscribed sales commissions, and for other unauthorized purposes. The complaint further alleges that Bailey, through Renew and a second company he controlled, Laserscopic, allegedly misused nearly $5 million of investor funds for expenses unrelated to the offerings. Bailey also used some investors' funds to pay "success fees" to other investors, despite the fact that Renew never established a single investor-funded, Renew-branded clinic.

When Black-Lewis convened a virtual employee meeting to explain her good fortune, she expected jubilation and relief that paychecks would resume in full even though the staff - primarily hourly employees - couldn't work.

She got a different reaction.  

"It was a firestorm of hatred about the situation," Black-Lewis said.