Federal Reports

We identified a number of serious issues that violate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards and pose significant health and safety risks at the facility. Specifically, we are concerned about unreported security incidents; food safety issues; and facility conditions. We recommended that ICE conduct a full review of the Essex County Correctional Facility and the Essex County Department of Corrections’ management of the facility immediately to ensure compliance with ICE’s 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards. Specifically, ICE must review and ensure compliance with : unreported security incidents; food safety; and facility conditions that include ceiling leaks, unsanitary shower stalls, bedding, and outdoor recreation areas. We made one recommendation to improve conditions at the facility. ICE concurred with the recommendation.

What We Looked AtWe reviewed the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma's single audit report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, in order to identify findings that affect directly awarded Department of Transportation programs. An independent auditor prepared the single audit report, dated August 23, 2018.What We FoundWe found that the report contained a procurement and suspension and debarment finding that needs prompt action from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) management.RecommendationsWe recommend that FHWA ensures that the Tribe complies with the procurement and suspension and debarment requirements. We also recommend that FHWA recovers $1,531,442 from the Tribe, if applicable.

Of the $374 million in managed care organization (MCO) recoveries, New Mexico appropriately refunded the Federal share for $359 million. However, New Mexico underreported the Federal share for the remaining $15 million by $4.4 million because (1) it incorrectly calculated the Federal share of recoveries related to Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion population payments, which the Federal Government originally matched at 100 percent using the regular Federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP), and (2) it did not consider higher FMAPs, such as for Family Planning and Breast and Cervical Cancer, in its Federal share calculations for MCO recoveries of other beneficiary populations' payments.

TrustSolutions, LLC, did not claim allowable Medicare pension costs of $1,944 on its Incurred Cost Proposals for calendar years 2010 and 2011.

Two Amtrak employees, Narcisse Tsaba, Electrician, and Jean-Jacques Lontchi, Locomotive Inspector, resigned on February 4 and February 12, 2019, respectively. The two employees previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor fraud charges in the District of Columbia Superior Court for participating in a fraudulent timekeeping scheme. The former employees inappropriately received pay from both Amtrak and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) by claiming to be at one employer while physically reporting to the other. The Court ordered Tsaba to pay $7,492 in restitution and Lontchi $3,524 in restitution. This joint investigation was conducted with the WMATA Office of Inspector General.