The Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) in Massachusetts has submitted its first quarter report for fiscal year 2025, detailing its activities in investigating public assistance fraud. BSI operates under the Office of the State Auditor and is responsible for ensuring that taxpayer dollars allocated for public benefits programs are used effectively. The bureau's investigative authority covers programs administered by the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Children and Families, and the Division of Medical Assistance, with additional collaboration with the Department of Early Education and Care through a Memorandum of Understanding. In the first quarter, BSI investigated 814 cases, identifying fraud in 207 cases, which resulted in overpayment calculations totaling $2,549,324.63.

The report highlights specific assistance types where fraud was identified, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC), among others. Notably, the report indicates that BSI is not authorized to collect settlement payments directly; instead, individual benefit programs are responsible for collection activities related to BSI cases. The report also mentions that restitution settlements are ongoing, with a total of $457,616.10 recovered in civil settlements thus far.