Reaction is pouring in over the discovery of nearly $12 million in public benefits fraud in Massachusetts just a month after the feds busted a $7 million SNAP fraud scheme in the state.

The state Auditor’s Office announced late last week that, for the fiscal year that ended June 30, its Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) identified $11,952,288 in public assistance fraud after conducting 4,179 investigations.

The largest amount of this was found within the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), totaling $4.1 million. Next highest was MassHealth with investigators identifying $1.3 million worth of fraud.

This latest discovery of SNAP fraud comes just one month after the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that an FBI investigation busted two Haitian nationals in a $7 million SNAP fraud scheme. This as Gov. Maura Healey continues to refuse to provide the Trump Administration with personal information on SNAP recipients, including immigration status, in an effort to root out waste, fraud and abuse.

Response

The three Republican candidates for governor are slamming Healey for not providing the Trump Administration with the requested data, citing the decision to withhold the information as a factor in the SNAP fraud happening in Massachusetts.

“The outrageous bilking of taxpayers thanks to Maura Healey’s mismanagement is a scandal,” GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve said in a post to X.

“Identifying and rooting out rampant fraud and abuse in our welfare programs is exactly why the federal government is asking for SNAP data, but Healey refuses to turn it over because she does not want the public to know the full extent of her incompetence,” he continued. “Massachusetts deserves leadership willing to confront waste head-on, not hide from it.”

Fellow Republican candidate Mike Minogue is calling the fraud uncovered by the Auditor’s Office a “failure of leadership.”

“The Auditor confirmed what Bay Staters already know: when transparency is blocked, waste and abuse thrive. Nearly $12M in public benefit fraud is a failure of leadership. 72% of voters demanded an independent audit. As governor, I’ll complete the audit and restore accountability in Massachusetts,” Minogue posted to X.

GOP candidate Mike Kennealy is calling for a “complete and comprehensive” review of where state tax dollars are being spent.

“Governor Healey’s lack of oversight over our tax dollars is completely out of control. Auditor DiZoglio uncovered $12 million in public benefits fraud. It’s time for a complete and comprehensive overview of where our money is going, said Kennealy in a post to his X account. “It’s time we have someone in the Corner Office who respects our hard-earned tax dollars.”

The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is applauding DiZoglio’s office, pointing the fraud as another reason for state Legislative leaders to comply with the audit voted into law by 72% of voters in 2024.

“The Auditor’s office should be commended for uncovering the waste and fraud. State government and the legislature are ripe for an audit. Accountability is a foreign concept in the State House. The Attorney General, Andrea Campbell is blocking an audit of the legislature for purely political reasons. It’s refreshing to see some people in state government still care about how our tax dollars are being used,” MassFiscal Executive Director Paul Craney told the Herald.

Details

DiZoglio’s Office says the SNAP fraud they uncovered was carried out most commonly through schemes involving recipients failing to provide accurate eligibility-related information to the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). They say this happens in a variety of ways, depending on the size of the recipient’s household and the income earned by those living in the household.

“For example, benefit recipients may fail to disclose all their earned income, especially when paid in cash, as a contractor, or commission-only. They may also fail to disclose other household members with earned income in their home. Eligibility for DTA benefits is based on household size and income,” a spokesperson for the state Auditor’s Office explained.

As for the MassHealth fraud, the office says they uncovered the same types of schemes. In addition, they say it also comes by way of provider fraud, where MassHealth providers may bill for more procedures than are allotted based on dental and medical procedural time code standards. The Auditor’s office says this overbilling may become subject to BSI analysis and further investigation.

In a statement sent to the Herald, Gov. Maura Healey’s Office said Healey is “very focused” on rooting out fraud and abuse, despite refusing to provide the SNAP information to the feds.

“The Trump Administration has refused to give us assurances that this sensitive personal data, including social security numbers, will not be turned over to ICE or abused for other purposes. A judge said this data shouldn’t be turned over, and there’s a case going on right now. If the Trump Administration agrees they will protect people’s sensitive data from places like ICE, we will of course consider providing it,” Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand said.