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How Kansas Was Defrauded Of Nearly $600 Million in 2020

By Steve Kraske,

Published March 8, 2021 at 5:27 PM CST

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Unemployment claims in Kansas skyrocketed in March of 2020 as the pandemic was beginning to spread throughout the United States.

An audit from the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit points to fake unemployment compensation claims.

The Kansas Department of Labor was not equipped to deal with the number of bogus unemployment compensation applications that occurred last year. The system primarily detects fraud manually instead of through automated means. That, coupled with an easy-to-crack federal assistance program, led to the overpayments.

Matt Etzel, principal auditor, Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Zach Wilson

As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.

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Chris Young

Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.

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