Nonprofit fraud: Amid high-profile prosecutions, an accountant explains what’s really going on

By: Sarah Webber, University of Dayton, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 21, 2026

Words: 1,586

Last Updated: 2 months ago

By Sarah Webber, University of Dayton

Nonprofit fraud is in the news a lot these days.

Federal investigators in Minnesota prosecuted one of the largest alleged COVID-19 pandemic fraud schemes, in which several nonprofits and individuals are accused of stealing about US$250 million from a federally funded child nutrition program.

The defendants were found guilty in 2025, three years after the investigation began, of diverting funds by faking meal counts and submitting false …

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