Maryland Statehouse rocked as audit reveals SNAP benefits went to lottery winner, inmates

MARYLAND (WBFF) — Outrage is growing at the Maryland Statehouse after a state audit found tens of thousands of dollars in government food assistance issued to people who did not qualify.

The audit detailed multiple examples of improper payments including a $2 million lottery winner who received $9,000 in food assistance.

It also found more than 1,800 inmates received as much as $1,700 a month in assistance while incarcerated.

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Maryland’s error rate is so high that the federal government is demanding the state repay $28 million, according to the audit.

The state’s 13% error rate is among the highest in the country and far exceeds the federal government’s target rate of 6%.

People are sick of this. We want to be good stewards of tax money and people are feeling like they’ve been defrauded because we keep failing audit after audit,” Del. Matt Morgan, (R) St. Mary’s County, said.

Auditors warned state leaders about problems with the system four years ago, but the most recent report shows the state still has not complied with four of the state’s 10 recommendations.

“Unfortunately, this is typical of the state where there’s a previous audit, they ignore it, then there’s a new audit talking about the same problems. When there’s an audit there has to be follow through,” taxpayer advocate David Williams said.

Morgan said the issues at Maryland’s Family Investment Administration reflect broader problems across state government.

“It’s happening in department after department despite having more state employees than we did four years ago with a lot more money. At some point we need to change paths,” Morgan said.