Vice President JD Vance has held the inaugural meeting of a new anti-fraud task force he's leading as the Trump administration seeks to show it's cracking down on potential misuse of social programs. Vance spoke Friday before the task force's closed-door meeting. The Republican vice president says the federal government for decades had not taken fraud seriously and it needed to be tackled with "a whole-government approach." President Donald Trump has made the crackdown on fraud part of a chief domestic focus as voters have said they're concerned about affordability ahead of November's midterm elections. Vance cites allegations of fraud in Minnesota, whose Democratic governor says Trump wants to "punish blue states."
The CEO of a Los Angeles homeless services charity faces federal and state fraud charges after prosecutors said he lived a luxury lifestyle that included lavish vacations and designer clothes paid for with $23 million in public money meant to keep people off the streets. The 42-year-old was arrested at his $7 million home that investigators believe he afforded using funds that were supposed to support his nonprofit Abundant Blessings. A lawyer for the defendant didn't reply Monday to an email seeking comment on the case. The nonprofit was contracted to find shelter and provide meals for homeless residents. Instead, prosecutors say he bought a $125,000 Range Rover and a vacation home in Greece.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is highlighting a decline in public benefit thefts in California. Thefts from CalFresh and CalWorks programs dropped to over $4 million a month last fall, down from $20 million two years ago. Newsom credits anti-fraud technology like secure EBT cards for the reduction. The announcement came amid federal threats over fraud allegations. Thieves have used skimming devices to steal card numbers, exploiting the state's large social safety net. Critics argue the theft numbers may be underreported, as some victims don't file reports or receive full reimbursements.
