DOGE Uncovers $382M in Fraudulent Unemployment Payments, Points to Blue States
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) found $382 million in fraudulent unemployment claims since 2020, with California, New York, and Massachusetts—all led by Democratic supermajorities—responsible for $305 million.
California alone accounted for 68% of benefits issued to parolees flagged by federal authorities as on terrorism watchlists or with criminal records.
DOGE head Elon Musk, soon stepping down, also highlighted wasteful spending, including:
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$132,000 paid to a former Taliban official by a U.S. peace institute
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COVID funds used for hotel stays, an ice cream truck, and a baseball stadium
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$20 million spent on a ‘Sesame Street’ spinoff in Iraq
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$162 billion in improper federal payments, per a GAO report
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer pledged aggressive recovery efforts: “We will catch these thieves.”
