Federal Reports

This disaster recovery biannual report and subsequent annual reports will provide curated information regarding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its grantees’ use of the more than $109 billion in disaster recovery funds approved by Congress since the 2001 World Trade Center attack, as well as information on new or completed HUD OIG oversight work related to HUD’s disaster recovery program.  HUD’s grantees use these essential funds to assist impacted communities and low- and moderate-income families in recovering from disasters and to mitigate damages from future disasters, including damage from water, wind, and fire.  For our second report, we have benchmarked disaster recovery funding, grantee spending, and program income to help our stakeholders better understand HUD’s disaster recovery portfolio.

This is our second biannual report with future reports issued annually. To read our first biannual report, click here.

An Amtrak lead ticket agent based in Sanford, Florida, and an Amtrak onboard services trainee based in Lorton, Virgina, resigned from employment on January 6, 2026, and December 18, 2025, respectively, while under investigation. Our investigation found that the former lead ticket agent stole several pieces of jewelry, valued at over $30,000, from the Sanford Station lost and found. The lead ticket agent then provided the jewelry to the onboard services trainee, who sold the jewelry to a pawn shop. When interviewed by our agents, both former employees admitted to their involvement in the theft and that they split the money obtained from the sale of the jewelry. The former employees are ineligible for rehire.

Based on our investigation, the lead ticket agent has been arrested and charged with grand theft. Judicial proceedings are pending for the onboard services trainee.

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

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

Why We Did This Report

We performed this audit in accordance with the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, as codified at 31 U.S.C. § 3521(e), which requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General to audit the financial statements prepared by the Agency each year. 
 

Summary of Findings

We rendered a disclaimer of opinion on the EPA’s consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2025, meaning that we were unable to obtain sufficient evidence to determine whether they were fairly presented and free of material misstatement because of the interaction and possible cumulative effect of multiple uncertainties, including those related to ongoing litigation and U.S. Government Accountability Office inquiries.