Minnesota Gov. Walz unveils new statewide fraud prevention program

(CBS, KYMA) - Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) unveiled a new statewide fraud prevention program Friday in the state's latest effort to crack down in the wake of the Feeding Our Future scandal.

Governor Walz named Tim O'Malley as the new director of program integrity.

O'Malley is a former superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, appointed by former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.), and was previously appointed by Walz as a chief judge on the state's Court of Administrative Hearings.

Walz also noted O'Malley worked before with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in an integrity-related capacity.

O'Malley said the governor privately assured him he'd have "the freedom and autonomy to act to do whatever is necessary to solve this."

Walz said the fraud prevention program was built with help from an outside forensics company called WayPoint, led by forensic accountant and attorney Josiah Lamb.

The governor said the state's contract with the company is valued "up to $200,000" and "will be spread across all the state agencies."