Boston's State Auditor, Diana DiZoglio, has put the spotlight on fraudsters in her annual report, outing over $12 million in public assistance fraud for the fiscal year 2023. The Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) is the watchdog tasked with sniffing out fraud and abuse in state benefits, and this year, they've had their hands full with a significant uptick in cases. According to a press release, the BSI conducted 5,100 investigations into dodgy claims—a jump of 40.8% from the previous year.
“For many residents across the state, public benefit programs provide access to everyday essential items – such as food and medical supplies. It is through the efforts of our fraud examiners that we continue to help ensure public benefit programs operate with transparency, accountability, and equity,” stated Auditor DiZoglio. Despite the BSI's diligence, fraudsters continue to siphon off taxpayer dollars meant for those in genuine need, with the Central Processing Unit (CPU) alone taking on 8,643 new referrals for investigation.
The responsibility for the bulk of this fraud discovery fell on the shoulders of the Fraud Investigations Unit (FIU), which completed 981 cases and unearthed approximately $9.5 million worth of fraudulent claims. The Data Analytics Unit (DAU) was responsible for 401 referrals, many pegging personal care attendants for not being upfront about their plush pockets while raking in public assistance benefits.
BSI is spread across various divisions, including the Department of Transitional Assistance and the Division of Medical Assistance, which overlooks MassHealth. For anyone armed with information that could halt the hemorrhage of funds from unlawful claims, the state points them to their website.
