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    State Inspector General Protects Over $15 Million in Public Assistance Funds during First Quarter of 2025

    May 15, 2025

    Harrisburg, PA – The Office of State Inspector General (OSIG) announced today that through its work to protect taxpayer dollars in the First Quarter of 2025, OSIG investigated over 5,000 applications for public assistance and prevented nearly $14.8 million worth of public benefits from being stolen. OSIG further preserved public assistance by charging 62 individuals with public assistance fraud, with total restitution exceeding a half million dollars. In all, OSIG protected a total of $15,284,504 in public assistance funds during the First Quarter of 2025.

    "Ensuring that public assistance benefits are safeguarded is not just our duty—it is our commitment to the people of Pennsylvania,” said State Inspector General Michelle A. Henry. “Every dollar saved through our efforts restores resources to those who genuinely rely on and deserve these vital programs. We will continue to pursue fraud wherever it occurs and hold those accountable who attempt to take advantage of these systems.”

    OSIG and the Department of Human Services (DHS) work together to prevent public assistance fraud. DHS refers clients to OSIG who are identified for additional review to ensure that those clients qualify for the benefits they are receiving. After an investigation, OSIG provides an investigative report so that DHS can determine the correct amount of benefits for a client. During the First Quarter of 2025, DHS processed 322,876 applications for assistance and referred 5,074 of those to OSIG for further review. OSIG investigators recommended reductions in benefits for 2,170 clients, or 0.67% of the total number of applicants, saving the Commonwealth $14,773,914.

    “Our systems of care and support help provide stability to millions of Pennsylvanians, and protecting these vital programs requires us to be diligent to ensure they continue to be used as intended,” said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “We are grateful for our close partnership with the Office of State Inspector General and our shared work every day to preserve the integrity of this system and taxpayer resources.”

    During the First Quarter of 2025, OSIG filed criminal charges against 62 individuals for defrauding the public assistance system. Of these, 59 were charged with felonies and six with misdemeanors, with defendants owing a combined $510,590 in restitution to the Commonwealth. The majority of these individuals are alleged to have misrepresented their household circumstances and fraudulently received taxpayer-funded public benefits to which they were not entitled.

    OSIG works in close coordination with DHS, which administers Pennsylvania’s public assistance programs, to investigate referrals made by DHS for potential fraud or abuse of programs. Referrals come through concerns flagged through applications and questionable use of benefits observed by DHS or from tips made by the public.

    The public can contribute to OSIG’s work by submitting tips about suspected public assistance fraud online, by phone, or mail. Concerned Pennsylvanians can join OSIG’s mission to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure the integrity of the Commonwealth’s public assistance programs. Anonymously report suspected public assistance fraud on the OSIG website or call the Public Assistance Fraud Tipline: 1-800-932-0582.