The Illinois Auditor General has issued a report indicating the state paid out more than $ 5 billion in excessive or fraudulent unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the findings in the audit of the Illinois Department of Employment Security were millions of dollars paid to people in prison or who were dead.
Auditor General Frank Mautino’s office says the department was not prepared for the giant increase in jobless claims as businesses shut down or reduced staff due to the pandemic.
State Senator Jason Plummer says Republicans had sounded the alarm about what was happening with the unemployment system, but their logic was completely ignored by the Pritzker administration. When told there was over a billion in improper payments, Plummer says the administration laughed. Plummer noted once it became clear that there would be significant fraud, the Governor’s staff downplayed the issue and fought to avoid common sense transparency.
Plummer says this audit makes it clear that the administration didn’t follow its own basic safety protocols nor the recommendations from the federal government and as a result, taxpayers are getting taken to the cleaners to the tune of $5-illion. He adds while scammers and fraudsters feasted on Illinois because of the administration’s incompetence and carelessness, many who were lawfully entitled to benefits did not receive them in their greatest time of need.