Investigative Reports

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Administrative Investigations Division investigated an allegation that an employee within the Veterans Health Administration National Center for Ethics in Health Care, Washington, DC, used personal email to conduct VA business for an extended period in disregard of federal law. In addition, the complainant alleged that the employee espoused the view that the government should pay for the employee’s travel home to the Northeast, even though the employee’s duty station was Washington, DC. The OIG did not substantiate the allegations, and the matter was deemed resolved with no recommendations for further action.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Administrative Investigations Division investigated an allegation that an employee in the Office of Information Security, Office of Information and Technology steered the award of two contracts (one for $43 million and a second for $47 million) to a company because the vendor’s Chief of Technology Officer and the employee had a prior business relationship from a previous VA contract. The OIG did not substantiate the allegations and the matter was deemed resolved with no recommendations for further action.

DOJ News Release

Volume 20 of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General's Investigations Newsletter.

The OIG investigated conflict of interest allegations against a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Supervisor. The complaint alleged that the Supervisor favored a family member in official matters involving drilling permits for the family member’s employer, an oil and gas company, and his family’s property.Our investigation showed the allegations were unfounded. We determined that the Supervisor processed Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs) in accordance with policy and without bias. We also found no evidence that the Supervisor influenced official matters involving his family’s property. Finally, we learned that BLM supervisors and department ethics officials were aware of the Supervisor’s familial relationships and approved his continued involvement with the APDs.This is a summary of an investigative report that we provided to the BLM Director.

An Amtrak Sheetmetal Technician in Los Angeles, California, was terminated from employment on March 15, 2019, following an administrative hearing for violating company policy. Our investigation found that the employee intentionally sabotaged a wheel truing machine in the Los Angeles yard in order to earn overtime compensation for its repair.

The OIG investigated complaints that Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) Superintendent Christine Lehnertz, proposed a disciplinary action against a GRCA senior official for an improper purpose; created a hostile work environment; and engaged in bullying and retaliatory behavior against senior leaders, particularly male leaders, at the GRCA. The complainant also alleged that Lehnertz authorized unnecessary renovations to a park housing unit resulting in a waste of almost $180,000.We found that Lehnertz’ proposal of disciplinary action for the senior official was supported by the evidence. The senior official failed to complete several required tasks relating to a high-priority park initiative and, despite Lehnertz’ multiple requests to the official over several days to provide specific performance management information to her, the official elected not to do so and misrepresented the status of the information to Lehnertz. We found no evidence that Lehnertz created a hostile work environment at the GRCA or that she authorized unnecessary renovations to a park residence.We provided this report to the National Park Service Deputy Director Exercising the Authority of Director.

DOJ News Release

A former ticket agent who was assigned to Los Angeles Union Station pleaded guilty to felony charges for theft of funds in U.S. District Court on February 25, 2019. Our investigation determined that the former ticket agent would wait until train conductors electronically scanned passenger tickets and would then reset the ticket status as if it had not been scanned at all. This process of resetting the ticket status allowed the tickets to be refunded or exchanged. Subsequently, the former ticket agent processed the reset tickets for cash refunds, taking and keeping the money from her cash drawer.As part of her plea agreement, the former ticket agent was selected for the Conviction and Sentence Alternatives program of the Central District of California. She will be required to pay $3,616 in restitution, $700 for a special assessment, and successfully complete the year-long program prior to her sentencing.As the result of our investigation into this scheme, five other ticket agents resigned prior to their administrative hearings.

An Amtrak Foreman/Trackman in Los Angeles, California, was terminated from employment on February 25, 2019, following the employee’s administrative hearing for violating company policies. Our investigation found that the Foreman/Trackman stole paper products from the locker room supply cabinet and then lied about it during his interview with our agents.

The OIG investigated allegations that an oil and gas production company drilled two wells in Noble County, OK and trespassed into acquired Federal lands. Further, the company allegedly began producing oil and gas without a properly executed mineral lease, which may have resulted in the loss of public resources and revenues.We found the land parcels in question were not acquired Federal lands, therefore, the company did not trespass into minerals owned by the Federal Government as alleged.

The OIG investigated allegations that a United States Geological Survey (USGS) manager made unwelcome and inappropriate comments of a sexual nature to a female subordinate.We found that the USGS manager provided inconsistent statements and demonstrated a lack of candor during interviews, but ultimately admitted to making inappropriate sexual comments to the female subordinate. We also found that the manager had been counseled by a former supervisor in 2013 for allegedly making similar comments to other employees and, consequently, had been required to take Equal Employment Opportunity training; the manager had also been counseled by a current supervisor in 2016 for the same reason.

The OIG investigated allegations that a former National Park Service (NPS) contract specialist steered three contracts to a vendor because of a personal relationship.We found that the contract specialist had a personal relationship with the vendor’s employees and attempted to influence contract awards by inappropriately advocating for the vendor, which violated Federal ethics regulations. We found, however, that the contract specialist ultimately had no influence over awarding contracts to the vendor and that the contracts were awarded properly. We also found that while the contract specialist managed the vendor’s contracts, he sought employment with the vendor for a family member, but the family member was never hired.The contract specialist left the Department after learning of our investigation. We referred our findings to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, which declined prosecution.

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.

An Amtrak Superintendent in Los Angeles, California, was terminated from employment on February 9, 2019, following the issuance of our investigative report that determined the Superintendent violated company policy. Our investigation found that the Superintendent awarded more than $22,000 in advertising and other work to a vendor without a formal agreement and accepted gifts from the owner of the company.On February 19, 2019, the vendor was suspended and Amtrak is no longer purchasing goods or services from, or providing services to, the vendor.

The OIG investigated allegations that a Tribe wrongfully took funds from a tribally-operated boarding school funded by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). We also investigated whether findings and questioned costs identified in an audit of the school rose to the level of criminal misconduct.We found no evidence to indicate the Tribe wrongfully took school funds. In addition, though the BIE has issued two bills of collection to recuperate some of the questioned costs identified in the audit, we did not identify criminal misconduct associated with those findings.