Source: New York Post
by Kevin Kiley
“The rampant fraud uncovered in the state of Minnesota has shocked America and ended the political career of Gov. Tim Walz. Yet as I told Attorney General Pam Bondi at a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing, the fraud in Minnesota pales in comparison to what taxpayers have suffered in California. California is undoubtedly the Fraud Capital of America. Here’s what we already know: The state allowed an estimated $32 billion in unemployment fraud during the COVID years, far more than any state, after ignoring ‘repeated warnings’. Perhaps more stunningly, the state auditor recently found unemployment fraud is still costing the state billions. Incidentally, in part because of this staggering fraud, California was forced to take out a $20 billion loan from the federal government to shore up its unemployment benefits. The state then defaulted on the loan – the only state to do so – triggering an automatic tax increase on employers.” (02/27/26)
https://nypost.com/2026/02/27/opinion/california-is-fraud-central/