Attorney General Eric Schneiderman Launches New Initiative to Combat Government Fraud
The Attorney General says his new "Taxpayer Protection Unit" will target corrupt contractors, pension con artists, and large-scale tax cheats.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he wants to recover money stolen from taxpayers and the government—especially in the face of the $10 billion budget gap the state is facing for next year.
The attorney general outlined a two part-initiative, which sets up a "Taxpayer Protection Unit", as well as bolstering the state's Medicaid Fraud Unit. He said the unit will target corrupt contractors, pension con artists, and large-scale tax cheats.
"Those of us who believe in government as a force for good must be the very harshest critics when it comes to waste, fraud, and corruption in the public sector," said Schneiderman. "Today's announcement is a signal to anyone thinking of ripping of New York taxpayers: We will go after you with every tool we have, and you will pay the price for these crimes. The taxpayers of this state deserve nothing less."
The attorney general said a recent addition to New York's False Claims Act gives the state the power to expand whistle-blower protections and crack down on corporate tax fraud schemes.
