IG report: Improper sale of ATVs, unlicensed contractor among $2.5 million that cost taxpayers

Palm Beach County Inspector General John Carey questioned more than $2.5 million in public spending in 2023, according to his recently released annual report.

The 65-page report labeled $2 million as “questioned costs,” which means expenses were either approved without “adequate documentation or the intended purpose was unreasonable,” but the report noted that not all questioned costs “are indicative of fraud or waste.”

Carey said his staff found nearly $250,000 in cost savings for taxpayers. It referred 53 “matters” to law enforcement or ethics commissions for further investigation and made 60 recommendations to improve government efficiency. The state attorney made three arrests last year based in part on a referral from the IG, according to Carey, and there are other cases that the office is actively involved in with prosecutors.