<p>A state audit of Maryland's unemployment benefits system found millions of dollars of benefits were improperly allocated during the pandemic.</p> <p>The audit covered April 17, 2017, through November 15, 2020.</p> <p>Division of Unemployment Insurance operations were greatly impacted due to the COVID pandemic, the Department of Legislative Services said, which increased unemployment insurance activity, requiring an expansion and modification of multiple operations.</p> <p>The audit reports that the Division of Unemployment Insurance "did not conduct certain critical data matches used to identify potentially fraudulent and improper claims."</p> <p>The Department of Legislative Services said they conducted three matches that replicated four discontinued Division of Unemployment Insurance matches and found that at least $32.3 million in potentially improper benefit payments.</p>