"Unmitigated Disaster”: Audit Finds $1.5B King County Funds at Risk of Fraud

A new audit reveals shocking mismanagement inside King County’s Department of Community and Human Services. Over $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds were funneled with weak oversight, leading to:

- Altered invoices and potential fraud

- Payments to unapproved contractors

- Nearly half of grantees labeled ‘high risk’

- Lax monitoring despite explosive growth in funding

County officials call the findings “damning” and a “total disaster.” Lawmakers are now pushing for urgent reforms, new compliance measures, and stricter financial safeguards.