OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERALPress Releases
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General Deploys Joint Strike Team to New York, Crushing Rampant Unemployment Insurance Fraud
July 13, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and its Office of Inspector General (OIG) today announced the deployment of a joint federal Strike Team to the State of New York, intensifying coordinated efforts to confront serious unemployment‑insurance (UI) fraud and performance breakdowns across one of the nation’s highest‑risk states. The deployment builds on ongoing collaboration between DOL program offices and OIG investigators to root out fraud, restore accountability, and protect American workers and taxpayers.
“New York is stealing from the American people every single day—draining their hard-earned tax dollars through rampant unemployment insurance fraud and improper payments,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “In partnership with Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling, we are taking a tough-on-crime approach to dismantle this fraud, hunt down every stolen dollar, and prosecute those responsible. Backed by the full strength of President Trump and Vice President Vance’s Fraud Task Force and our coordinated OIG and Departmental efforts, our joint federal Strike Team will deliver the swi f t justice that hard working Americans deserve. Accountability is not an option.”
New York ranks among the worst states for unemployment insurance (UI) fraud exposure, contributing to more than $750 million in improper UI payments and accounting for $507 million in fraudulent payments in calendar year 2025. New York alone loses nearly $2 million per day to fraud and improper payments.
To combat these threats, OIG investigators will work side-by-side with DOL Strike Team members to identify, stop, and recover fraudulent payments before taxpayer dollars are lost. The DOL-OIG Strike Team will conduct targeted reviews, support data-analytics operations, coordinate with federal and state partners, and pursue civil and criminal investigations into suspected fraud networks.
This work aligns with national recovery efforts led by President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance’s White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which has already helped recover hundreds of millions in fraudulent UI funds and strengthened program integrity across multiple states.
For additional information on DOL OIG, please visit oig.dol.gov. If you suspect wrongdoing involving DOL programs or operations, contact the DOL-OIG Hotline at (800) 347-3756 or oig.dol.gov/hotlinecontact.htm.
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