Trump’s Fraud Claims: Massachusetts vs. Minnesota – A Fact Check

Trump Announces ‘War on Fraud,’ Questions Massachusetts Integrity

President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address Tuesday, announced a new “war on fraud” to be led by Vice President J.D. Vance. He also suggested that alleged “corruption” in states like California, Massachusetts, Maine, and others may be “even worse” than the unfolding fraud scandal in Minnesota, which has prompted Governor Tim Walz not to seek reelection.

The President’s remarks have raised questions about the extent of public benefits fraud in Massachusetts, particularly in comparison to Minnesota. While Trump accused the Somali community in Minnesota of “pillag[ing] an estimated $19 billion from the American taxpayer,” the reality appears more nuanced.

Minnesota Fraud Estimates Differ

Federal prosecutors estimate the Minnesota fraud scheme to be closer to $9 billion, significantly less than the $19 billion figure cited by Trump. The scheme, which surfaced in 2022, involved providing false meals with federal money during the pandemic – a case known as the Feeding Our Future scandal. The Department of Justice estimates this scandal cost taxpayers at least $300 million.

Massachusetts Fraud: Smaller Numbers, Ongoing Concerns

In contrast, reported instances of public benefits fraud in Massachusetts are considerably smaller in scale. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio announced earlier this year that her office uncovered nearly $12 million in public benefits fraud in fiscal year 2025, including $4.1 million in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

However, this figure doesn’t include an additional $7 million in alleged SNAP fraud at two convenience stores in Mattapan, where owners are accused of trafficking SNAP cards for cash, according to the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts. Federal prosecutors also recently announced charges linked to alleged fraud totaling over $1 million, involving stolen identities and Pandemic Unemployment Insurance benefits.

A separate, large-scale home-healthcare fraud scheme resulted in the January 2025 sentencing of Faith Newton of Westford to 12 years in prison for a multimillion-dollar fraud. Even factoring in Newton’s case, the total amount of fraud identified in Massachusetts remains lower than the figures emerging from Minnesota.

Leakage vs. Fraud: A Systemic Issue?

Jim Stergios, head of the Pioneer Institute, expressed skepticism about the claim that benefits fraud is more prevalent in Massachusetts than in Minnesota. He suggested a more pressing issue is “leakage” – outdated systems leading to mistaken or overpayments, and a lack of sufficient audits.

Stergios pointed to a 2024 federal assessment of Massachusetts’ unemployment insurance program, which found that 22% of all payments represented leakage or fraud. While the Healey Administration has since reduced that figure to 16%, Stergios noted that remains a high percentage. He also estimated that leakage in MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, could amount to over $1 billion annually, given the program’s $22 billion budget.

Political Motivations and Concerns

Auditor DiZoglio criticized what she described as the Trump Administration’s political manipulation of benefits fraud data. “With respect to these life-saving social welfare programs, accountability exists to protect needed resources for struggling families, not to starve them,” she said in a statement. “Fraud detection should never be weaponized to justify doing harm to the struggling families who are following the rules.”

Governor Maura Healey’s spokesperson, Karissa Hand, accused Trump of “promoting false information about SNAP to distract from how his disastrous agenda is making life harder and more expensive for everyone.”

Regardless of the accuracy of Trump’s claims, highlighting Massachusetts and California – states known for their progressive politics – serves as a strategic move to garner conservative support for the “war on fraud” and potentially justify proposed benefits cuts. The inclusion of Maine may reflect its large Somali population and Trump’s broader focus on the community, as well as ongoing tensions between Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills.