09/16/2026
Public money for child care is supposed to serve real children, not invented enrollment and empty rooms. When verification is weak, fraud becomes a business model—and taxpayers pay the price. Every dollar lost to abuse is money that should have supported families who actually need care.
A system that issues large payments with little proof of attendance invites abuse. Operators can collect millions while providing little or no actual care, while weak enforcement leaves the door wide open. That is a failure of oversight, not a reason to abandon legitimate child-care programs.
Charges are only the first step. Recovering the funds, tightening eligibility and attendance rules, and holding those who exploited the programs accountable is how government protects children, taxpayers, and the public treasury.