Nebraska State Treasurer Joey Spellerberg has entered into a new partnership with federal officials aimed at detecting fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs and public money.
Spellerberg joined federal and state officials Monday in Kansas City, Missouri, for an event focused on improving coordination between states and federal law enforcement. Officials from Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa participated, according to the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office.
During the event, Spellerberg signed a memorandum of understanding with Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation on fraud detection and prevention, criminal investigations and financial crime analysis.
“Protecting taxpayer dollars is priority one at the State Treasurer’s Office,” Spellerberg said. “Fraud does not stop at state lines, and neither should our efforts to prevent it.” Spellerberg said the partnership could help officials identify suspicious activity sooner and stop fraudulent payments before state money is lost.
Under the agreement, the Treasurer’s Office may provide federal investigators with publicly available information about state payment transactions, including checks, wire transfers and Automated Clearing House payments. Information considered confidential under Nebraska law would remain protected.
The announcement came as federal officials detailed enforcement actions involving alleged fraud tied to programs administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. According to the Treasurer’s Office, those cases involve hundreds of millions of dollars in alleged losses.
Nebraska’s Treasury Management Division already reviews transactions for potential fraud. The Treasurer’s Office says it has stopped 250 attempts to steal state money through fraudulent paper checks since 2014, protecting more than $383,000. So far in 2026, the office says it has blocked 48 fraudulent checks totaling $123,164.
The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the state’s chief financial officer and is responsible for the safekeeping and management of Nebraska public funds.
