BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced Monday a call for the state’s Department of Finance to form a group to study financial crimes and fraud.
According to a release Monday, Little said the state reported nearly $89 million in “fraud losses” to the FBI in 2025, a figure that’s jumped by 75 percent since 2023.
Little is tasking Finance Director Salvador Cruz to form a working group next month to determine if the state needs a more coordinated approach for collecting fraud reports, investigations and prosecutions.
The state does not have a central repository to collect fraud reports, and no statewide unit is tasked with investigating financial crime.
“Financial fraud is a growing threat to Idaho families, and we need to make sure our systems are equipped to respond,” Little said in the press release. “We want to identify gaps in our current approach and determine what practical steps Idaho can take to better protect our citizens, and especially older Idahoans.”
Little estimates that Idahoans aged 60 and older accounted for more than 40 percent of fraud losses in 2025.
Little has asked the group to present its findings prior to the 2027 legislative session.
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