The praise rolled in for the team working on Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services program.
Launched in 2020, it was designed to help people with disabilities, seniors and individuals struggling with mental illness and substance abuse find and keep housing.
But in just five years, demand for the Medicaid-reimbursed service had created a backlog within the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS). Employees working on the program were lauded for working overtime to clear it.
To reward their efforts, DHS paid bonuses to nine program staff and eligibility specialists, ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, according to data obtained by 5 INVESTIGATES.
Three months later, the program collapsed.
Citing credible allegations of fraud by dozens of providers billing the service, the state announced it would shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program. Federal indictments soon followed.
The…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.