To the Editor:

I retired after teaching accounting at Siena College for 33 years. Prior to teaching as a Certified Public Accountant, I participated in some fraud examinations.

At Siena, I developed and taught a course in Fraud and Forensic Accounting. Currently, I am not aware of current computer algorithms designed to minimize fraud.

However, I do not need a computer to know that, if a person has not received funds from Social Security, they can’t commit fraud against that department.

Yet, Elon Musk and Texas Senator Ted Cruz are developing processes making it difficult for new individuals to register for their earned benefits. Every administrator, Congressperson, Senator and their staffs that allow this process to continue are condoning this hoax.

It is this lack of leadership that is the true fraud being perpetrated upon the American taxpayer.

Leonard Stokes, Ph.D., CPA

Professor Emeritus, Siena College

Guilderland