Louisiana’s top auditor says the state is increasingly working with federal prosecutors to turn findings of fraud, waste and abuse into criminal cases as Washington expands its effort to police fraud involving programs such as Medicaid, food assistance and federal grants.
Louisiana Legislative Auditor Michael Waguespack said his office routinely sends investigative audit reports to prosecutors and meets with local district attorneys, the state attorney general or U.S. attorneys depending on where the money involved originated.
“What we typically send them is our final reports,” Waguespack told The Center Square. “Anything concerning, you know, fraud, waste or abuse.”
That existing pipeline is taking on greater significance as Louisiana joins a broader Justice Department effort to connect state watchdogs with federal investigators.
The Justice Department in July named Louisiana among…
Review your monthly bank statements and credit card bills line-by-line to spot small “tester” transactions of R5 or R10, which fraudsters use to verify if a stolen card is still active.