A startling new report from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has uncovered a massive $400 million in fraudulent unemployment claims—most of which appear to originate from just three heavily Democratic states: California, New York, and Massachusetts.
Shared by DOGE on X (formerly Twitter), the findings detail shocking levels of abuse within the federal unemployment insurance system. The agency, established to root out inefficiency and misuse of taxpayer dollars, has been diving deep into government spending, particularly in the realm of welfare and entitlement programs. While some of its previous discoveries—like excessive spending on plant-watering services—have drawn amused reactions, this latest report paints a far more serious and costly picture.
DOGE’s review focused on unemployment insurance payouts since 2020 and found a stunning pattern of fraudulent claims, including benefits sent to people whose identities clearly don’t hold up under scrutiny. Among the most egregious examples:
- Over 24,500 claims were filed by individuals listed as older than 115 years, totaling $59 million.
- Roughly 28,000 claims were submitted for children aged 1 to 5, amounting to $254 million.
- And incredibly, nearly 9,700 claims came from individuals with birthdates set in the future, costing taxpayers $69 million. One such claim, made by someone allegedly born in the year 2154, resulted in a $41,000 payout.
Commenting on the findings, Elon Musk expressed disbelief, saying, “Your tax dollars were going to pay fraudulent unemployment claims for fake people born in the future! This is so crazy that I had to read it several times.”
In a follow-up post, DOGE clarified that California, New York, and Massachusetts were collectively responsible for $305 million of the fraudulent claims. California alone accounted for 68% of improper payments made to parolees flagged by border authorities as being either on the terrorist watchlist or having serious criminal records.
The revelations have sparked heated discussion online, with some users pointing to a pattern. One commenter noted the overlap between sanctuary cities and the highest levels of fraud: “Isn’t it interesting that the three states with the most infamous sanctuary cities also claimed the highest amount of unemployment benefits fraudulently?”
Another user added a political angle, asking, “Are you really surprised that California, New York, and Massachusetts are at the forefront of fraudulent activities in various sectors? Who holds the political power in these states?”
As DOGE continues its investigation, these early findings are likely to fuel further debate over how taxpayer money is managed—and mismanaged—across the country.
