Department of the Interior OIG

The OIG investigated an allegation that a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) contract specialist misused his assigned Government charge card.We determined that Matthew Wathen embezzled over $26,000 through unauthorized personal use of his Government charge card, including weekly lodging, monthly rental...

The OIG investigated allegations that a tribe removed approximately $11 million from the bank account of a tribally controlled school funded by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). We investigated whether the funds had been removed as alleged and whether the removal violated any law or regulation...

The OIG investigated allegations that a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) law enforcement officer stole Government property from the wildlife refuge where he was assigned, to include lawn maintenance equipment, furniture, and ammunition. The complainant also alleged that the officer’s spouse...

The OIG investigated an allegation that a Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) investigator violated Government ethics regulations by applying for a position with an oil company while he was investigating an incident involving the same company.We found that the employee notified his...

The OIG investigated allegations that a former National Park Service (NPS) superintendent held visitor donations in a private investment account instead of a U.S. Treasury account as required by NPS policy and may have personally benefited from the funds.We found no evidence of misuse or personal...

This report presents the results of our unannounced inspection on August 14, 2018, of passenger ferry safety at Fort Sumter National Monument, Charleston, SC. The objective of our inspection was to determine whether Fort Sumter Tours, Inc., a National Park Service (NPS) concessionaire, operated its...

This report presents the results of our unannounced inspection August 16, 2018, of passenger ferry safety aboard ferry service to Bulls Island in the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, Awendaw, SC. The objective of our inspection was to determine whether Coastal Expeditions, Inc., a U.S. Fish and...

We investigated an anonymous complaint alleging that Superintendent Ed Clark of Gettysburg National Military Park (GETT) violated ethics rules by soliciting funds on behalf of the Gettysburg Foundation, a non-Government organization; accepting Foundation-funded travel to events sponsored by the...

The OIG investigated allegations that a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manager sent pornographic images and sexually suggestive instant messages from his Government computer and personal cellphone to a subordinate employee. The complainant further alleged that the BLM manager installed cameras in...

The OIG investigated allegations that an FWS contractor falsely certified payments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under a construction contract it held in the Southeast Region and that the contractor failed to pay a subcontractor for work performed.We found no evidence that the...