https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/articles/news/press-releases/usda-inspector-general-probes-150-million-federal-funds-paid-dead
USDA Inspector General Probes $150 Million in Federal Funds Paid to Dead People in Puerto Rico to Buy Food, and Works to Strengthen Partnerships Against Fraud
May 6, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—USDA Inspector General John Walk led a team of criminal investigators and auditors to Puerto Rico to strengthen partnerships with Puerto Rico officials and federal law enforcement partners to fight fraud in USDA-funded programs.
The series of meetings highlighted recent findings by Puerto Rico’s Comptroller that identified $150 million in USDA-administered food assistance funds that went to deceased people under the Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP), a federal program that functions similarly to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance in all 50 states. NAP funding is administered in Puerto Rico by the Department of Family.
According to the Comptroller’s March 2026 report, 38,618 NAP participants were not alive at the time benefits were paid out between 2017 and 2024. During the meeting with Comptroller Carmen Vega Fournier, Walk expressed appreciation for her work to uncover the findings and committed to working with her office, federal partners, and authorities in Puerto Rico to take appropriate measures to exercise any necessary federal oversight, including the possibility of criminal actions and follow-up audit work.
Walk also met with Puerto Rico Secretary of Family Suzanne Roig-Fuertes to discuss the payments made to the nearly 39,000 dead recipients. The two officials agreed on the need to cooperate to address federal food assistance program integrity and fraud, including data sharing between the Department of Family and OIG and cooperation of criminal enforcement against fraudsters.
“I am grateful for the Comptroller’s work that led to this important finding so that proper authorities can work to ensure that federal food assistance goes to eligible recipients and not spent by those exploiting the dead,” said Walk. “The productive set of meetings with key officials in Puerto Rico this week demonstrate the importance of cooperation and collaboration between USDA OIG, oversight and law enforcement partners, and the state- level agencies that administer USDA-provided funds at the local level.”
USDA OIG is currently in the process of reviewing SNAP data requested from 10 states to evaluate program integrity, including whether payments are going to deceased individuals. Of those 10 states, six have already shared data. The remaining four states continue to object to OIG’s information request, preventing auditors from assessing the integrity of their recipient data and eligibility determinations.
cont’d