Gov. Paul LePage has again criticized Attorney General Janet Mills over the pace of welfare fraud prosecutions.
He says less than half of the welfare fraud cases sent to Mills by the Department of Health and Human Services have been prosecuted, with more than 50 individual welfare fraud cases still pending.
“Not every case that is sent over to us for prosecution is a viable criminal case,” Mills says in response. “Like any prosecutor, pursuant to your own code of ethics and professional standards, reviews and screens each case separately.”
Mills says the big fraud problem is providers, with over $62 million collected in the last five years from 85 cases of fraud. She says her office has not ignored individual fraud cases where 108 allegations generated $1.2 million.
Mills says if LePage is so concerned about fraud, he should have supported the request by the DHHS for two additional positions in her office to help with prosecution that was made last fall.
