Idaho Finance Department requests six new examiners to fight rising cyber fraud; governor backs most of the package

BOISE — The Idaho Department of Finance told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that it is seeking six full-time positions and $816,600 from state regulatory funds to expand IT-focused examinations and investigations aimed at rising cybercrime, elder financial fraud and fintech-related threats.

The request, presented by budget analyst Noah Peterson and Director Patty Perkins, would add positions across the department’s Financial Institutions, Consumer Finance and Securities bureaus, including IT examiners, financial examiners and forensic-accounting specialists. Peterson said the request appears on the agency’s legislative budget pages as a six-FTE enhancement for fiscal 2026.

The funding request is meant to respond to “a huge increase in cybercrime,” Director Patty Perkins said during questioning, and to expand the department’s small investigation team that has been working with the Idaho State Police and prosecutors. “There is a huge increase in…