Federal Reports

In spring 2018, the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adopted a zero-tolerance policy under which large numbers of families entering the United States without authorization were separated by DHS.

The OIG investigated allegations that Leslie Lewis, a National Park Service (NPS) Supervisory Fee Management Specialist, embezzled fee deposit funds from Mammoth Cave National Park, KY.We determined that from 2014 through 2018 Lewis embezzled $169,322 from the park’s fee collection program, using several schemes to conceal the thefts. We also found that, at the time of the thefts, the park’s fee collection procedures did not conform to NPS policy governing such programs, but park officials have corrected the deficiencies.The U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky prosecuted Lewis, who pleaded guilty to theft in U.S. District Court. She was sentenced to 24 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $169,322 in restitution.

Our objective was to determine the accuracy of earnings the Social Security Administration (SSA) used as the basis for increases to Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefits for beneficiaries who had earned the earnings after the Agency appointed them representative payees.

Medicare Part D paid $168 billion for drugs for 46.8 million Medicare beneficiaries in 2018. Despite its size, Part D does not have the same protections against pharmacy fraud that other parts of Medicare have.