Boston — In a quarterly progress report issued today, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio said examiners within the office’s Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) found evidence totaling $4,049.552.22 in fraudulently obtained public assistance benefits and services.

“Most recently, our BSI unit released the Quarter 3 information for fiscal year 2023 - our office investigated a total of 1,407 cases and of those cases, 200 were completed with public assistance fraud identified,” said Auditor DiZoglio. “Our BSI team further investigates cases of public assistance fraud to help ensure those who truly need access to programs and services can find what they need, when they need it. The work of BSI investigators impacts every day working families to increase transparency, accountability and equity across state services and programs regardless of bank balance, family background or zip code.”

Under state law, BSI’s investigative authority extends to any assistance program administered by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), the Department of Children and Families (DCF), and the Division of Medical Assistance, which administers MassHealth (the state’s Medicaid program). Although the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) is not included in the BSI statute, BSI also works with EEC through a Memorandum of Understanding.

As a result of BSI’s investigations, public assistance fraud cases are referred to agencies for administrative action, fraudulent overpayments are recovered through civil agreements, individuals are disqualified from programs for specified periods of time, and cases are prosecuted in state and federal courts.

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