Federal Reports

We investigated allegations that Helen Hernandez, former Secretary of the Credit and Finance Office (CFO), Oglala Sioux Tribe, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD, issued payroll deduction loans to herself. It was also alleged that Hernandez used other individuals’ personal information to acquire loans in their names and then used those funds for her benefit.Our investigation showed Hernandez, then the Secretary of the CFO, issued 44 checks between February 2014 and June 2015, worth approximately $42,100 in total. Hernandez admitted to fraudulently issuing the checks and entering false loan recipient names in CFO records to conceal her activities. She was one of only two employees at the CFO and was responsible for receiving applications, verifying qualifications, and otherwise processing loans. Because of the lack of a clear separation of duties, she could essentially issue loans to whomever she chose, with no outside verification.The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of South Dakota, indicted Hernandez, who pled guilty to 18 U.S.C. § 1163, “Embezzlement and theft from Indian tribal organizations,” and agreed to pay restitution of $42,100 to the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

An Amtrak ticket agent based in North Dakota was terminated from employment on October 28, 2020, following her administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee left her post on seven separate occasions for extended periods of time, without approval or authorization, to attend personal events and activities on company time, and without clocking out as company policy requires.

The Office of Inspector General assessed NASA’s strategic workforce planning, training, and certification of its acquisition workforce.

On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). To date the CARES Act has provided the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) with $909.7 million, which includes direct apportionments of $756 million to support the needs of DOI programs, bureaus, Indian Country, and the Insular Areas, and a $153.7 million transfer from the U.S. Department of Education to the BIE.This report presents the DOI’s progress as of September 30, 2020, in spending CARES Act appropriations. Specifically, the DOI’s expenditures to date total $546,908,092, and its obligations total $658,490,397.We are also monitoring the DOI’s progress on reporting milestones established by the CARES Act and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.We anticipate issuing updated status reports monthly.