Massachusetts Bureau of Special Investigations identifies over $8 million in public benefit fraud

Boston, MA – State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump today released the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) annual report for her office’s Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI), which investigates allegations of public benefit fraud. The report notes that BSI identified $8,164,438.85 in public assistance fraud during the past year.

In FY20, BSI closed 490 cases with identified fraud. The report provides a series of maps that show the total number of fraud instances the Bureau identified in each county. With 241 cases, Hampden is the county in which Bump’s office identified the most cases of fraud in FY20.

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“In Massachusetts, we recognize the value of a strong social safety net to help people put food on the table, access medical care, and more. While fraud makes up a small portion of total public assistance spending, it has a disproportionate negative impact on public trust in these programs,” Bump said. “At a time when more people are relying on this assistance because of economic hardships, my office remains committed to ensuring these programs are run with integrity and fraud is quickly identified and stopped.”

The report highlights notable activity surrounding BSI’s cases during the year including:

· Multiple indictments in US District Court for theft of government benefits;

· The guilty verdict for a Lowell woman who defrauded the Department of Early Education and Care; and

· The sentencing of a North Attleboro woman for larceny and public assistance fraud.