Fraudsters bilk Kansas unemployment system for up to $600M, audit concludes

Kansas Department of Labor disputes findings

TOPEKA — A report issued Wednesday by the Legislature’s auditing division estimates up to $600 million in fraudulent unemployment claims may have been paid out during the pandemic.

The estimate is based on 157,000 initial claims flagged in the past 12 months by the Kansas Department of Labor as possible fraud. The agency disputed the audit’s methods and conclusions.

Republicans questioned whether th…