LePage's Welfare Allegations Don't Always Lead To Charges

Republican Gov. Paul LePage's administration says it's uncovered over $1 million in possible fraud and abuse by Mainers receiving state assistance.
 
But a fraction of such theft allegations typically ends in charges by Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills, who has asked for more prosecutors to handle the caseload.
 
So far this year, the Department of Health and Human Services said it's presented 46 cases representing $1 million in alleged theft to Mills' office. The Attorney General's office says it's charged 19 cases involving benefits fraud this year totaling nearly $430,000 in theft.
 
The LePage administration previously increased the number of individual welfare fraud investigators from nine to 17 at an annual cost of about $700,000. Mills' office last summer said it's recovered $26 million in improper MaineCare billing since 2014.