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Audit: Minn. Overpaid Stimulus Jobless Benefits

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- A new audit says the state of Minnesota overpaid as much as $3.2 million in extra unemployment benefits tied to the federal stimulus.

The legislative auditor's report released Friday urged the Department of Employment and Economic Development to try to recover the money.

It says the agency mistakenly paid out $25 weekly supplements authorized by the stimulus to some ineligible recipients because its computer system failed to flag the overpayments.

DEED Commissioner Mark Phillips says the department struggled to keep up with internal accounting as the federal government extended unemployment benefits five times from late 2009 through 2010.

He says the agency agrees with the audit's recommendations and is working to address the issue.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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