The New York State Office of the Welfare Inspector General (OWIG) has released its 2025 Annual Report, outlining the agency’s efforts to investigate public assistance fraud, assist residents, and support local social services agencies across the state.
According to the report, OWIG received 927 complaints during 2025, including 189 fraud allegations and 738 requests for assistance from residents, local agencies, and partner organizations.
The agency said its investigations led to arrests, guilty pleas, convictions, and more than $500,000 in court-ordered restitution to state and federal public assistance programs.
OWIG investigators examined a variety of alleged fraud schemes during the year, including concealed income, identity theft, benefits collected after a recipient’s death, and cases involving individuals receiving benefits while residing outside New York.
The office also provided investigative assistance, legal guidance, and training to local Departments of Social Services aimed at identifying improper payments and strengthening fraud prevention efforts.
Throughout the year, OWIG worked with several local, state, and federal agencies, including the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the Office of Children and Family Services, local social services districts, law enforcement agencies, and prosecutors.
The agency also participated in the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership, a multi-agency intelligence-sharing initiative, and continued its involvement with the U.S. Department of Justice’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which investigates pandemic-related fraud and stolen public benefits cases.
In addition to enforcement efforts, the report highlights OWIG’s work in fraud prevention through training and educational programs for welfare fraud investigators, prosecutors, and social services officials across New York State.
