Federal Agencies Made Over $161 Billion in Improper Payments Last Year: Watchdog

An improper payment is one made by the government that ’should not have been made or was made in an incorrect amount,' according to the watchdog.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Jan. 9, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The U.S. government made billions of dollars worth of improper payments in the most recent fiscal year, with several agencies found to be non-compliant with regulations on the matter, according to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

“Since fiscal year 2003, executive branch agencies have reported cumulative improper payment estimates of about $2.8 trillion, including $161.5 billion for fiscal year 2024,” the Jan. 23 report from the agency read.