In The News 11 August 2026

Auditor of State’s Office receives $2.3 million U.S. Department of Justice grant

COLUMBUS — Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber announced his office will receive nearly $2.3 million in federal funds to further combat Medicaid fraud, drug and human trafficking, and other crimes. 

The grant, awarded under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Special Attorney Program, will enable the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office to hire additional full-time attorneys to assist in federal prosecutions of noncitizens engaged in criminal activity.

“We have identified billions of dollars in fraud, waste, and abuse of public resources since 2019,” Auditor Faber said. “These federal grant dollars will help us as we continue to prosecute those responsible for crimes against the public trust.”

In April, federal officials announced $300 million in grant funding for state and local government offices to strengthen efforts to investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes.

The Auditor of State’s Office applied for the funding to hire additional attorneys through its Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and received notification late last month that it will receive a grant totaling $2,267,723.

The funds will be used to hire three prosecutors, who will be employees of SIU and will serve as special attorneys through a partnership with the Department of Justice under its fraud enforcement or criminal divisions or local U.S. Attorney’s Offices.

••• Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 28 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.

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