While some Ohioans wait months to get food assistance, others in the system are building up food benefits they don’t need.

While some Ohioans wait months to get food assistance, others in the system are building up food benefits they don’t need.

10 Investigates found 41 households with balances between $7,000 and $10,000. 14 households have $10,000 or more.

Franklin County's top household has $17,316 on its card. The highest in Ohio: $20,902 in one Cuyahoga county household.

Now, the Ohio Auditor’s Office said this issue deserves more scrutiny. In an audit report to be released Tuesday, Auditor Dave Yost highlights the amount of money given to people who don’t use their food assistance.

Yost’s report shows 1,337 Ohioans have accumulated more than double the maximum benefit amount for a family of eight. It's a total of $ 4,737,061 in food assistance to people who are not using it - rather than people who need it but are not getting help.

Jon Keeling, spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services explained, “The department provides every Ohio county with a monthly report of new balances over $5,000. County offices are then empowered to investigate and determine if any fraud is taking place. We continue to fully follow all federal rules and regulations when expunging unspent benefits.”

Sources tell 10 Investigates Auditor Yost is also announcing his team found cases of fraud against the state’s food benefits system.

Ohio Congressman Bob Gibbs is on the committee overseeing the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP.

"I mentioned this to my colleagues in Washington and that signed on to the letter and they were like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ They were just shocked that people could have balances on their SNAP cards on these levels. Where's the oversight and the accountability?" Rep. Gibbs said.

Rep. Gibbs pledges to take action, including writing new "use it or lose it" style legislation It would cap the time people grow benefit balances at 60 days rather than the current limit of one year.

County agencies are responsible for overseeing food benefits. They tell 10 Investigates these large balances are not from fraud. Counties blame the balances on federal policy giving food benefits on eligibility and not need.

“SNAP benefits are 100 percent federally funded and ODJFS is required to follow all federal rules and regulations when expunging unspent benefits,” Ohio Job and Family Services spokesperson Ben Johnson said.

Rep. Gibbs added, "That really distorts the program and makes it tougher for policy makers to understand what the real needs are out there."