State flags $10.6M in benefit fraud, led by MassHealth and SNAP

State investigators uncovered more than $10.6 million in public benefit fraud in the second half of fiscal year 2026, according to a new report from Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s office.

The office’s Bureau of Special Investigations looked into 2,223 cases across the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2026, detecting overpayments in 402 cases with identified fraud, the report released Wednesday found. Investigators identified more than $6 million in MassHealth fraud and about $3.9 million in SNAP fraud.

There was also about $538,330 in fraud tied to the Personal Care Attendant program; $130,480 within the Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children program; and $38,460 within the Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children program.

“These important programs are meant for the people who need them — not for those looking to game the system,” DiZoglio said. “When someone commits fraud, they’re taking resources away from the people these programs were created to serve. Our office will continue to work with our partners to identify fraud because taxpayers deserve to have their hard-earned money protected.”

The Trump administration’s crackdown on public benefit fraud, combined with tightening eligibility criteria and work requirements embedded in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is putting pressure on state administrators to shore up program integrity efforts while protecting access for vulnerable residents. State government watchdogs say fraud is not a widespread problem in Massachusetts, though the next governor and slate of lawmakers will need to manage serious human and fiscal consequences as a result of the federal scrutiny.

DiZoglio’s office identified almost $4.5 million in public benefit fraud in the first half of fiscal 2026 and nearly $12 million in the prior fiscal year.