Hotline Leads to 119 Fraud Probes

Los Angeles County’s employee fraud hotline has led to 119 investigations of wrongdoing during the second quarter of this year, Supervisor Mike Antonovich’s office announced Thursday.

Antonovich started the phone line as a way for county employees and members of the public to report alleged abuse in county government.

Each allegation is investigated by the auditor-controller’s office, which operates the phone line.

In a press release, Antonovich said disciplinary action is pending against a Department of Public Social Services worker who fraudulently issued $6,700 in welfare benefits and is implicated in approving about $39,000 in welfare transactions that investigators also believe are fraudulent.

A second welfare department worker resigned after receiving more than $8,600 in benefits while employed by the department, according to Antonovich.

A Department of Mental Health worker was fired for receiving more than $6,000 in Social Security benefits intended for her clients, according to the statement.

The Department of Health Services was forced to review its procedures when an informant called the hotline and reported that the health department had not attempted to collect more than $336,000 from a patient.

The county is now attempting to collect that money, Antonovich said.

The hotline number is (213) 974-0914.