MA Loses Millions to Public Assistance Fraud

State auditor Suzanne Bump says Massachusetts has lost more than $5.5 million to fraud in public assistance during the financial year that ended in June. WAMC’s Lucas Willard has more…

Bump's office documented the losses in a final report of the 2012 fiscal year that was released Wednesday.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, accounted for most of the fraud, at nearly $1.7 million.

The report comes shortly after the state passed a law that would enact stricter penalties for food stamp trafficking and restrict cash assistance purchases.

Bump's Bureau of Special Investigations found evidence of more than $2 million in falsely obtained public assistance benefits and services. The office investigated more than 2,000 instances of fraud between April and the end of June.

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