Audit finds Mass. government fraudulent spending nearly doubled in Q4

Fraudulent spending nearly doubled across state agencies in the final quarter of last fiscal year, with MassHealth carrying the majority of the waste, according to Auditor Diana DiZoglio.

The auditor’s Bureau of Special Investigations tracked down 1,153 cases of fraud between April 1 and June 30, totaling $4,814,380 in waste, up from $2,465,430 in the third quarter.

MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid system, accounted for 79.2% of the fraudulent spending, jumping from $885,298 in Quarter 3 to over $3.8 million in Quarter 4, according to figures from the auditor’s office.

DiZoglio released the findings on Friday as she remains in a stalemate with Attorney General Andrea Campbell and top state lawmakers on going forward with the voter-approved audit of the Legislature.

“Public benefit fraud can impact the lives of everyday people across Massachusetts who rely on these programs and services to access care or purchase food,” DiZoglio said in a statement. “That is why the work of our fraud examiners is critical to help ensure these services and programs are operating efficiently and reliably for all who need them.” — Lance Reynolds

A PAC backed by MassVOTE founder to support City Council candidates

An independent expenditure political action committee created by the founder of an election advocacy group is wading into Boston City Council elections this cycle with pledges to back Councilors At-Large Julia Mejia, Ruthzee Louijeune, and Henry Santana.

Malia Lazu, the chair of the We Are Different PAC and founder of The Lazu Group, said the super PAC plans to engage and turn out Black and brown voters in Boston with “culturally relevant, digital-first campaigns.”

“Progressives in Boston have a proud tradition of standing up for justice—from abolition to health care and being a sanctuary city. Boston needs the leadership to stand up against growing threats,” Lazu said in a statement this past week.

The super PAC, which does not have limits on the amount of money it can raise and spend so long as it does not coordinate directly with candidates, will try to broadcast to “old, resonant content that directly links progressive policies to everyday concerns — housing, safety, justice, and education,” Lazu said.

Organizers say the super PAC also plans to employ “dynamic digital storytelling, micro-influencer strategies, and culturally relevant content designed to capture attention and inspire action” and train community leaders to “authentically mobilize their networks.”

Mejia had more than $36,000 in her campaign account at the end of July, Santana had just over $6,300, and Louijeune had over $188,461, according to state campaign finance records.

All three are running for re-election to one of the four at-large City Council seats. At-Large Councilor Erin Murphy is also running for reelection, and former Councilor Frank Baker is trying to rejoin the body in an at-large capacity.

“‘We are Different’ slate of candidates have proven experience in delivering on those issues and standing up for workers in Boston. They value the work and the worker regardless of whether the worker has been here 7 generations or 7 years,” said Juan Pablo Jaramillo, a political director with SEIU Local 509 who is sitting on the super PAC’s leadership board. — Chris Van Buskirk

Cape Cod bridges

State Rep. Steven Xiarhos says he’s fully on board with replacing the “structurally obsolete and far too narrow” Sagamore and Bourne bridges as long as residents being displaced from their homes are “fairly compensated.”

The 90-year-old bridges that span the Cape Cod Canal are slated for replacement through a partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers and the state.

As the state anticipates receiving environmental permits and approvals for the $2.4 billion project by next year, with construction potentially starting in 2028, concerns are growing around the impacts on nearby homeowners.