Tech billionaire Elon Musk says he was stunned after learning about the extent of fraudulent unemployment claims uncovered by his government oversight agency, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In an interview with the Daily Mail last week, Musk said he had to read the report several times before the numbers “sank in.”
DOGE Uncovers Millions in Fake Unemployment Claims
The Department of Government Efficiency, an agency created under Musk’s administration to root out waste and corruption in government programs, released a bombshell report Wednesday revealing millions of dollars in fraudulent unemployment payments issued to non-existent individuals.
According to DOGE’s review of unemployment insurance data dating back to 2020, investigators found that 9,700 individuals with birthdates set more than 15 years in the future had collectively claimed $69 million in benefits.
In one case, a claimant listed with a birth year of 2154 reportedly received $41,000 in unemployment payments, according to The Economic Times.
“Your tax dollars were going to pay fraudulent unemployment claims for fake people born in the future,” Musk said.
“This is so crazy that I had to read it several times before it sank in.”
Musk Defends DOGE Initiative Amid Criticism
Musk’s findings come as some critics question the scope and purpose of DOGE. In response, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO shared a resurfaced 2011 clip of former President Barack Obama announcing a similar anti-waste initiative called the “Campaign to Cut Waste.”
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote:
“Sounds exactly like DOGE.”
The video showed Obama outlining efforts to eliminate “pointless waste and stupid spending that doesn’t benefit anybody,” while joking that then–Vice President Joe Biden would lead the effort because, “Nobody messes with Joe.”
Obama’s 2011 Anti-Waste Campaign
In the resurfaced clip, Obama described how his administration identified unnecessary government expenditures, including federal funding for a website dedicated to a folk music group known as the “Fiddlin’ Foresters.”
“Did you know the federal government pays for a website devoted to a folk music ensemble made up of forest rangers?” Obama said at the time. “I’ll put their music on my iPod, but I’m not paying for their website.”
Obama emphasized that even small examples of government waste were unacceptable, adding,
“No amount of waste is acceptable — not when it’s your money.”
Biden also spoke during the event, promising a “new standard” for government efficiency and transparency.
“We’re not just eliminating fraud and waste,” Biden said. “We hope to be instilling an entire new culture that every administration will pursue. We’re going to give you the government you expect and deserve.”
A Renewed Push for Accountability
Musk’s DOGE initiative appears to mirror Obama’s earlier push to root out inefficiency — though the findings unveiled this week highlight the massive scale of fraud that emerged during and after the pandemic.
The agency’s early results have prompted calls for criminal investigations into how such egregious errors slipped through federal and state systems.
Musk has vowed that DOGE will continue to audit all major federal spending programs, beginning with unemployment and COVID-era stimulus benefits, to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used properly.
“We’re going to make government efficient — or die trying,” Musk said in a follow-up post on X.
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