Group Urges Healey Administration to Cooperate with Federal Efforts to Root Out Fraud
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is calling for immediate action following a new investigative report detailing widespread abuse of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including schemes that exploit both taxpayer-funded benefits and charitable food resources.
The report adds to a growing body of evidence that abuse within the system is not limited to isolated incidents or organized fraud rings, but reflects deeper systemic failures that are allowing bad actors to take advantage of programs intended to help vulnerable residents.
“This goes far beyond the tens of millions of dollars in organized fraud already uncovered by state and federal authorities. What we are seeing now is a system that is being openly exploited, where individuals feel entitled to misuse benefits and even charitable resources without consequence. That is a failure of oversight and accountability at the highest levels,” said Paul Diego Craney, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.
Recent findings suggest that taxpayer-funded food assistance and donated goods are being diverted and resold for profit, raising serious concerns about both program integrity and the misuse of charitable contributions meant for struggling families.
MassFiscal emphasized that these abuses not only waste taxpayer dollars but also undermine public trust and harm those who genuinely rely on assistance.
“Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar taken away from someone who truly needs help. At a time when families across Massachusetts are struggling with rising costs, it is unacceptable that taxpayer resources are being squandered on a system riddled with corruption,” added Craney.
The organization is calling on the Maura Healey administration to reverse its position and cooperate with federal authorities, including efforts led by the Donald Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to identify and eliminate fraud within the SNAP system.
“There is enough evidence now to make clear that incremental fixes are not enough. Adding chips to EBT cards or making minor administrative changes will not solve a problem this widespread and deeply ingrained. We need full transparency and cooperation with federal investigators to identify bad actors and restore integrity to the program,” Craney said.
“Refusing to cooperate with efforts to root out fraud only protects those who are abusing the system. By withholding data and blocking enforcement, state leaders are effectively putting themselves on the side of those taking advantage of taxpayers, instead of the hardworking families funding these programs and those who legitimately depend on them,” said Craney.
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is urging immediate policy changes to strengthen accountability, improve verification processes and enforcement, and ensure that public assistance programs serve their intended purpose.
“Our message is simple. Protect taxpayers, protect the integrity of these programs, and ensure that help goes to those who truly need it, not those who are gaming the system,” closed Craney.