State Auditor Suzanne Bump today announced an audit of the Massachusetts International Trade Council, Inc. (MITCI) which revealed $152,026 in inadequately documented, duplicate, or improperly authorized personnel payments. Included in these payments were an inappropriately authorized $83,140 severance payment, inadequate documentation for $56,207 in staff reimbursements, and $12,679 in duplicate or unauthorized payments for credit card expenses and staff compensation.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump announced today an audit of Framingham State University (FSU) which found the school has improved enrollment procedures for its student health plan. These changes come after FSU identified two former students who were enrolled although they had not been FSU students for over eight years.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump reported today that an audit of the Office of the Jury Commissioner (OJC) found both improvements and a few outstanding concerns.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump issued an audit today which found over a half-million dollars in questionable and unallowable costs at a state-funded human service provider.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today issued an audit of Southeastern Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau, which found that inadequate safeguards lead to the theft of over $11,000 by a contracted accountant.

In an audit announced today, State Auditor Suzanne Bump challenged a state practice that allows some human services vendors who have received state payment for “unallowable expenses” to avoid repaying the state.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today issued an audit of MassHealth, which found the process for verifying self-reported income and residency information needs improvements and may be costing the Commonwealth millions of dollars annually in Medicaid expenses.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today announced an audit of the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) which found a former Vice President stole school property, did not follow travel reimbursement policies, hired a family member and other consultants outside normal procedures, and used a STCC credit card without authorization.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today announced an audit of the Greenfield Housing Authority (GHA) that found the agency has resolved sanitation and maintenance issues highlighted in a prior audit, but still must make improvements to its preventative maintenance plan.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today announced an audit of the Worcester Superior Court (WSC) that shows the court acted positively to address the findings of a past audit.   

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today announced an audit of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) automated fare collection (AFC) system that highlighted lapses in the protection of fare money. Among the inadequacies identified were revenue variances of more than $100 million between the system’s records and the actual money collected, missing keys to fare boxes, and incomplete tracking of fare box cash. 

Today State Auditor Suzanne Bump released a summary of post-audit accountability reports from the third and fourth quarters of FY12, which show select audit work that has the potential to produce $39.6 million in fiscal benefit for the Commonwealth. The reports are part of an accountability initiative introduced in 2011 to monitor how audited agencies are acting on her recommendations. Since the initiative’s introduction, the reports have identified $52.4 million in potential savings.   

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today announced an audit of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries’ (DMF) administration of a $2 million federal disaster relief grant intended to aid shell fishermen affected by the 2008 red tide outbreak. The outbreak closed shellfish beds in 29 communities, resulting in substantial economic losses for individuals from 41 municipalities throughout the Commonwealth.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump today issued three audits of local school districts (Oxford, Hudson, and Marshfield), each finding the school system lacked documented policies to ensure federal grant money is being spent properly and safeguarded from loss, theft, and misuse. 

In a fourth quarter report issued today, State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump said examiners with the office’s Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) found evidence of $2,806,252 in fraudulently obtained public assistance benefits and services, bringing the fiscal year 2012 total to $5,542,310.

An audit of the Central Massachusetts Special Education Collaborative (CMSEC) issued today by State Auditor Suzanne Bump revealed the multi-community partnership charged its member school districts fees that exceeded the actual costs, resulting in a multi-million dollar surplus. 

An audit of Holyoke Community College (HCC) released today by State Auditor Suzanne Bump revealed the college had inadequate controls to protect its property against theft, and that some stolen items were not reported to the Auditor, as required by Massachusetts law.

An audit of the Dudley Housing Authority from May 1, 2008 through June 30, 2011, found that it had resolved issues identified in a prior audit  by issuing required Internal Revenue Service Forms 1099-MISC for its independent contractors and improving inventory control over its furniture and equipment.

An audit of the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority’s (MVRTA) use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for the period July 17, 2009, through September 30, 2011, indicated that all funds were administered in accordance with applicable funding requirements. The audit also revealed that the Authority had taken significant steps to resolve prior audit results related to the use of automated fareboxes.

“I applaud the Merrimack Valley RTA for acting quickly to address the findings in the prior audit by finding an immediate short-term solution while a longer term solution could be implemented,” said State Auditor Suzanne Bump.

I applaud both the House and Senate for relieving our local schools of a burdensome unfunded mandate amidst an extremely difficult budget process. Their 2013 budget will completely reimburse school systems affected last year by a state program related to busing and educating homeless school children.

An audit of the Easton Housing Authority issued today by State Auditor Suzanne Bump revealed numerous poor financial management practices. 

“When taken together, the many faults we uncovered at the Easton Housing Authority call into question the previous administration’s ability to properly manage resources to benefit the lives of the residents they serve,” said Auditor Bump. “The current administration of the Authority has been cooperative with our audit process and is using our findings to improve its operations.”

Boston, MA - In a quarterly progress report issued today, State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump said examiners with the office’s Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) found evidence of $1,827,217 in fraudulently obtained public assistance benefits and services.

Auditor Bump said BSI examiners completed 963 investigations, identifying 401 people defrauding the state out of welfare, food stamps, childcare services, health care benefits, public housing or cash assistance.

“In today’s economic climate, with so many struggling to get by, it is more important than ever to make sure every dollar given in benefits goes to those who are actually in need,” said Auditor Bump. “BSI oversight identifies millions of dollars in fraud every year.”

Within the current fiscal year BSI received 1,824 complaints of suspected fraud and found $2,736,058 in fraudulent claims.

After investigations completed by the Office of the State Auditor, two men face charges of each fraudulently collecting over $12,000 in MassHealth benefits in a multiyear period by not reporting the hundreds of thousands of dollars earned through lottery winnings.

“These two individuals are exploiting the public and taking precious resources away from those most in need,” said State Auditor Suzanne Bump.

BOSTON, MA - An audit of the Weymouth Housing Authority issued by State Auditor Suzanne Bump today revealed the past administration’s numerous poor financial management practices. 

BOSTON, MA - Yesterday, at the annual Professional Development Conference for the Boston Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA Boston), State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump was elected by the membership to become the organization’s future President.

BOSTON, MA - State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump announced today the results of an audit which found insufficient documentation for $2.3 million in expenses charged to the state by the Life Focus Center (LFC), a Charlestown nonprofit which provides services for disabled persons.

BOSTON, MA - In the first year of her administration, State Auditor Suzanne Bump launched a new accountability initiative to monitor how audited agencies are acting on her recommendations.

BOSTON, MA - State Auditor Suzanne Bump announced today the results of a statewide survey which found that school districts are projected to spend close to $11.3 million this fiscal year as a result of an unfunded state mandate.

BOSTON, MA - State Auditor Suzanne Bump today issued three audits of local housing authorities (Shrewsbury, Webster, and Millbury), each finding the authority’s operating reserves were well below the State’s recommended level.

BOSTON, MA  - A Boston man was arraigned today at Boston Municipal Court on charges that he fraudulently collected $21,320 in food and cash assistance from the Supplemental Nutritional Program (SNAP) and Emergency Assistance for Elderly and Disabled Children (EAEDC), Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne Bump announced today.

BOSTON, MA - In his 2013 Budget proposal released today, Governor Deval Patrick recommended funding for a new initiative within State Auditor Suzanne Bump’s Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI).  

BOSTON, MA - An Athol woman was arraigned Wednesday at Boston Municipal Court on charges that she fraudulently collected $58,170 in food assistance from the Supplemental Nutritional Program (SNAP) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne Bump announced today.

BOSTON, MA - Inspector General Greg Sullivan and State Auditor Suzanne Bump issued the following statement regarding the passage of An Act Relative to Improving Accountability and Oversight of Education Collaboratives by the Massachusetts Senate: