Investigative Reports

The Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-194) requires Offices of Inspector General to, among other things, conduct periodic assessments of the government purchase card program to identify and analyze risks of illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases and payments. According to Office of Management and Budget memorandum M-13-21, this risk assessment should be performed annually. The purpose of this memorandum is to fulfill the requirements of the Act and OMB guidance. Generally, we found that PBGC has policies and procedures in place to address the requirements in the Act, and has internal controls to assist in the monitoring of this program. Based on our review, we determined that the risk of illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases is low.

Alerted to allegations that Senior Corps grantee Great Lake Inter-Tribal Council, Lac du Flambeau, WI, misused program funds, CNCS-OIG investigators conducted a review in conjunction with an agency grant officer and a program officer. This joint review found that the grantee had abused the funds awarded by CNCS in multiple ways.

We received a complaint from a former pension benefits supervisor (Complainant) of a PBGC contractor (Contractor) who claimed she was terminated in October 2014, in retaliation for making protected disclosure of certain information, in violation of 41 U.S.C. § 4712, (Pilot Program for Enhancement of Contractor Protection from Reprisal for Disclosure of Certain Information). The Contractor operates one of PBGC’s Field Benefit Administration services offices which provide participant and benefit processing services and assistance.Based on information received from the Complainant, we identified six separate disclosures. We concluded that four of her disclosures were not “protected” disclosures as defined by the statute. We concluded two disclosures about the Contractor’s alleged failure to pay her overtime could reasonably be considered protected as defined by the statute. However, we were unable to show that the Contractor official who terminated the Complainant knew of these disclosures. Even if the evidence were to show that the Complainant’s disclosures were a contributing factor in her termination, we found there is reasonable grounds to conclude that the Contractor can show by clear and convincing evidence that the Contractor official would have terminated her on other grounds absent her disclosures. In sum, we concluded there is insufficient evidence to substantiate the Complainant’s allegation that the Contractor subjected the Complainant to a reprisal for whistleblowing.Because the final report contains information protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, disclosure of the report is restricted.

An AmeriCorps member reported allegations that a New Mexico AmeriCorps grantee required members to engage in prohibited activities by participating in a syringe exchange program.

A grantee reported an AmeriCorps member serving as a tutor for suspected prohibited activity.

This report provides a summary of our investigative findings in cases involving administrative misconduct.

This Newsletter provides a bimonthly summary of selected investigative accomplishments.

CNCS management reported a Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) volunteer was arrested by Tooele Police Department, Tooele, UT, on allegations of sexual assault of a minor, while serving at a FGP school site.