OIG Issues Final Report on Sheriffs’ Budgets
IG Concerned about Civil Process and Outside Bank Accounts
Read the Press ReleaseFinal Report on Sheriffs’ Budgets and Expenditures
In a report mandated by the Legislature, the OIG found that the sheriffs’ budget process is chaotic with chronic underfunding and illegal overspending. Poor fiscal practices, increased mandated costs coupled with lost commission revenues, and an inconsistent understanding of the role of the sheriff have all contributed to the chaos.
Read the ReportIG Shapiro Supports Creation of a Rhode Island state OIG
IG Shapiro has testified before the Rhode Island Legislature about the value of a statewide OIG three times over the last two years. On May 19th, he sent letters to the Rhode Island Senate Finance Committee chair and the Rhode Island House Speaker renewing his support for their efforts to create a statewide OIG in the Ocean State.
Letter to RI Senate Finance Committee Chair
Letter to RI House Speaker
OIG In Your Inbox – Whistleblower Hotlines
According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), most fraud is uncovered by tips from whistleblowers. The ACFE found that almost half of fraud tips come from within an organization, with roughly a third coming from outside sources. Organizations with fraud hotlines were nearly twice as likely to detect fraud than those without.
Read the AdvisoryOIG 2025 Annual Report
In 2025, the OIG issued 23 public investigatory reports and letters that have been effective in calling out conduct that, while not necessarily criminal, is wasteful or constitutes an abuse of public resources. In addition, IG Shapiro met with 60 municipal leaders and the office fielded over 2000 hotline complaints and responded to over 1100 procurement support requests.
Read the ReportOIG In Your Inbox: Multifactor Authentication
Cyberattacks against local governments are increasing. Such attacks often begin when a cybercriminal gains unauthorized access to systems and data by obtaining an employee’s password through methods such as phishing, malware, or automated guessing tools. An easy and effective way to prevent attacks against your municipality is to enable multifactor authentication (MFA).
Read the AdvisoryOIG Bulletin, March 2026
This edition of the OIG Bulletin includes information on several OIG reports including the Special Education Transportation study, the preliminary report on Sheriffs’ spending, and the Steamship Authority’s website project. Also contains information on prevailing wage misconceptions and the benefits of the CM at-Risk delivery method.
Read the BulletinIG Jeffrey Shapiro Testimony Regarding House 5032 – An Act Relative to Preparing Apprentices in the Commonwealth
IG Shapiro urged lawmakers to consider unintended consequences of House 5032 such as creating additional burdens on contractors who wish to bid on public contracts.
Read the TestimonySouth Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to $1.2 Million COVID Relief Fraud
David Breen pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property, for misappropriating COVID-19 funds for personal use.
Read the Press ReleaseOIG Letter to the House Ways and Means Committee Re: House 5131, the Municipal Empowerment Act
IG Shapiro advocated for commonsense changes to the state’s procurement laws contained within House 5131.
Read the Letter