OIG Investigation Found that BPS Wasted Public Funds
In a report issued today, Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro called on Boston Public Schools (BPS) officials to pause payments on vendor contracts for non-essential goods and services in certain departments for 10 business days and perform an internal review after separate Office of…
Read the Press ReleaseBoston Public Schools – Procurements, Contracts, and Payments
Improper Workarounds and Oversight Failures Lead to Wasted Public Funds and Inaccurate Budget Reporting
Read the ReportOIG Investigation Finds Former Norfolk Officials Wasted and Misused Public Funds
The investigation, prompted by a tip to the OIG's fraud hotline, revealed not only that the former DPW Director failed to follow basic public procurement and fiscal management practices, which resulted in the misuse and waste of public funds, but also the former Town Administrator failed to supervise the DPW Director and abused his use of vacation time to his financial advantage.
Read the Press ReleaseTown of Norfolk-Misuse of Public Funds and Abuse of Vacation Time
An OIG investigation found that the former Norfolk town officials misused public funds and abused vacation time. The former Town Administrator failed to properly supervise the former DPW Director who failed to follow Massachusetts public procurement law and did not follow basic fiscal practices. The investigation also found that the former Town Administrator abused vacation time and was not properly supervised by the Select Board.
Read the LetterAn Analysis of Indigent Defense in Massachusetts
Section 82 of Chapter 14 of the Acts of 2025 (Section 82), directed the OIG to review the indigent defense system in Massachusetts, including existing practices, rules and
requirements related to determining indigency, billing by and oversight of private “bar advocates,” attorney caseloads, and best practices from other jurisdictions to provide adequate and cost-effective representation of indigent defendants.
OIG Report: Public Defense System is Broken, Expensive, and Resistant to Oversight
Fiscal Accountability and Oversight Not Inconsistent with Right to Counsel
Read the Press ReleaseOIG 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 ReportFormer CEO of Worcester Regional Retirement System Abused Public Funds
The OIG investigation found that, despite verbal assurances to the contrary, the former CEO of the Worcester Regional Retirement System (WRRS) continued to operate and in fact grew his private law practice while serving as the full-time CEO of the WRRS.
Read the ReportOIG Finds Former Retirement Board CEO Abused Public Funds
The OIG found that a former CEO of the Worcester Regional Retirement System (WRRS) expanded his private law practice while being paid to work full-time for the retirement board.
Read the Press ReleaseA Preliminary Review of Sheriffs’ Budgets and Expenditures
The OIG’s review, pursuant to Section 164 of Chapter 73 of the Acts of 2025, finds that the flawed budget process for sheriffs' can be attributed, in part, to numerous unclear and outdated laws that define sheriffs’ responsibilities and authority. It is apparent that the role of the sheriffs’ offices may not be as narrow as some legislative leaders expect, nor as expansive as some sheriffs believe.
Read the ReviewOIG Issues Preliminary Report On Sheriffs’ Budgets
OIG Finds That Sheriffs Budget Process is Opaque, Chaotic, and Deeply Flawed
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