(The Center Square) — Maine Republicans are calling for an investigation into whistleblower claims that Maine’s welfare system has been overbilled by millions of dollars by a nonprofit that works with Somali immigrants.
The Maine Republican Party announced they have filed a public records request with State Auditor Matt Dunlap seeking information about recent complaints, tips and other information related to fraud or overbilling by nonprofits and other third-party groups.
MaineGOP Chairman Jim Deyermond cited recent claims by a whistleblower that the Lewiston-based Gateway Community Services overbilled MaineCare — the state’s Medicaid program — and submitted false claims for behavioral health services it didn’t provide. He claimed the group, whose CEO is from Somalia, is being protected by Democratic lawmakers.
“After seeing reports of millions of dollars in overbilling in Maine’s welfare system and hundreds of millions of dollars in no-bid contracts, the taxpayers of Maine deserve to know what measures have been taken to protect them,” Deyermond said in a statement. “Look, just because these folks are politically connected doesn’t mean they’re above the law.”
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services said recently that two audits revealed Gateway was overpaid by $662,608, and the state is seeking to recoup that money. The agency said it refers suspected fraud to the attorney general’s office.
But Christopher Bernardini, who worked as a program coordinator at the company between 2018 and 2025, told NewsNation in a recent interview that his former employer billed taxpayers for services that weren’t provided and falsified records to cover up its tracks. He also claimed that he submitted a complaint to Dunlap about the allegations, but said the office took months to respond.
To be sure, Gateway has denied the whistleblower’s claims and pointed out to media outlets that neither of audits conducted by the state DHHS accused the group of billing for service services it didn’t provide. The group said it has also fueled threats to the Somali community, which has been criticized by President Donald Trump.
“These allegations are false. Gateway Community Services maintains strict billing, documentation, and compliance protocols and has cooperated with state oversight agencies,” the group said in a recent statement. “At no point during his employment did he raise any concerns-formal or informal-related to inaccurate billing, fraud, or impropriety.”
But Maine Republicans have also taken aim at Dunlap, who is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for Maine’s Second Congressional District in next year’s midterm, accusing him of failing to act on the whistleblower complaint.
“From what we can see in news reports, the biggest concern from Maine Auditor Matt Dunlap’s office was not the fraud being reported, but whether the whistleblower had told the feds,” said Deyermond. “The people deserve to see the numbers and decide for themselves if anyone, anyone at all, is investigating these allegations and looking out for their interests.”
