We note that 22 of the 36 hotline reports (61.1 percent) were state-related. The majority of such reports pertained to alleged agency mismanagement. As of December 31, 2022, we had resolved 3 of the 22 state-related reports to the hotline, and we determined that 7 reports were unfounded, unsubstantiated, or no action was required. As of January 1, 2023, 12 of the 22 state-related hotline reports remained under review. We also highlight a finding related to a hotline report that we resolved since the publication of our last semiannual report in July 2022 (report 22-9).
Fraud, Waste, and Mismanagement Hotline
Semiannual Report: July 2022 – December 2022Report 23-2 | January 2023
SUMMARY
As required by s. 13.94 (1) (br), Wis. Stats., the Legislative Audit Bureau operates a toll-free hotline (1-877-FRAUD-17) that allows the public and individuals within state government to confidentially report alleged fraud, waste, and mismanagement. Callers may remain anonymous, and the Bureau is statutorily required to protect their identities even when other information is made public.
We highlight the activity of the Bureau’s Fraud, Waste, and Mismanagement Hotline for the period from July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022, including the 22 state-related reports we received.