Federal Reports

Department of Homeland Security components did not consistently apply information technology (IT) access controls to ensure only authorized personnel had access to systems, networks, and information. This capping report summarizes access control practices and deficiencies reported in three components — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — over the last 12 months.

This update highlights oversight activities of the EPA OIG from October 1 to December 31, 2023.

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements.

David Pugliese, a resident of Palm Beach County, Florida, was sentenced on January 12, 2024, in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, for Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud. Pugliese was sentenced to 30 months in prison, two years’ probation, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,238,699. Pugliese was the manager and registered agent of Capital Advantage Diagnostics, LLC, which was purportedly in the business of performing a variety of laboratory tests for various health care providers.Our investigation found that Pugliese and others submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Amtrak’s insurance providers for claims that were not medically necessary or for laboratory tests that were never performed. Pugliese solicited beneficiary information and specimens for testing through the use of individual laboratory representatives and paid bribes to these representatives for specimens they provided. As a result of the scheme, Amtrak’s insurance providers were billed approximately $315,474.