Tennessee Audit Finds Fraud In Low-Income Kid's Meal Program

A Tennessee audit says several organizations tasked with feeding low-income children billed the state for meals they did not serve.

The audit released Monday by the Tennessee comptroller says four operators participating in a food subsidy program continued in the program after participating in questionable billing practices. The audit says Tennessee’s Department of Human Services has failed to establish robust controls for questionable meal claims. The report says one operator billed the state nearly $2,500 for two days where inspectors found no children at the site.

A spokesman for the state’s Department of Human Services says the agency did not review the audits and could not provide comment.