Treasurer Folwell calls on citizens to assist with fraud prevention, detection related to state pension fund

(Raleigh, N.C.) – Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, issued a call to North Carolina residents to assist the N.C. Department of State Treasurer in ensuring that convicted felons do not receive state-sponsored benefits that they are not eligible to receive.

Elected government officials and state and local government employees will forfeit their right to certain monthly benefits from the state pension fund if they are convicted of felony offenses related to their service as an elected official or public servant. If a member is convicted on federal charges, the department is notified of the conviction. However, state convictions are handled at the county level, and although these courts are required to notify the retirement systems, and often do, it is not fool proof. Now Treasurer Folwell is asking North Carolinians for their help.

“We may not have staff in every county to track these cases, but with the help of the citizens of North Carolina, we could have eyes and ears across the state working together to preserve and protect the benefits earned by the hardworking and honest public servants," said Treasurer Folwell. “It's important that felons who committed crimes while in service to the public aren't allowed to continue taking advantage of the state by drawing pension benefits that they shouldn't receive. Any dollar that is inappropriately sent out is a dollar that can never be used for the benefit of law-abiding retirees."

If you are aware of a public employee who has committed a felony offense related to their government employment, please notify the retirement systems using the fraud, waste and abuse hotline:

Fraud, Waste & Abuse Hotline

1-855-90FRAUD (1-855-903-7283)

retfraud@nctreasurer.com

When making a report, please reference the county and any case information available.