Investigative Reports

We investigated allegations that a coal operator failed to pay mineral royalties on coal produced from Federal leases in Wyoming and Kentucky.

Edel Perez Acanda, a resident of Miami, Florida, was sentenced on October 16, 2023, in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, for Theft of Government Funds. Perez Acanda was sentenced to 2 months in prison, 3 years’ probation, and was ordered to pay $81,114 in restitution to Amtrak. Perez Acanda was employed by a company contracted by Amtrak to provide food services. Our investigation found that co-defendant Bryan DeCastro fraudulently altered the timecards of Perez Acanda and another individual to make it appear they worked more hours than they did, resulting in payment for hours they did not work. Perez Acanda then paid DeCastro kickbacks for falsely inflating the timecards.

We found that a company in Colorado failed to report production and pay royalties for oil and gas produced from Federal leases.

A Lead Service Attendant based at New York Penn Station violated company policies by engaging in outside employment at two temporary employment agencies and an assisted living facility in Delaware while on medical leave and receiving Railroad Retirement Board benefits. The employee resigned prior to her disciplinary hearing and is ineligible for rehire.

An Amtrak engineer based in Miami, Florida, signed a waiver of administrative hearing on October 9, 2023, following a year-long investigation into time and attendance abuses by a Miami-based yard crew. By signing the waiver, the employee waived his rights to an administrative hearing and accepted responsibility for the administrative charges against him and understood that future misconduct may result in termination.Our investigation found that yard crew employees violated company policies by routinely leaving work several hours before the end of their shifts while continuing to falsely claim regular or overtime pay for time they did not work. From June 2, 2022, to April 10, 2023, 10 additional employees were disciplined as a result of our investigation. Five of these employees signed a waiver to an administrative hearing, accepting responsibility of the administrative charges against them, and the other five either resigned while under investigation or were terminated from employment for their roles in the scheme.Finally, we provided the company with observations for their consideration that we learned during our investigation.

An Amtrak Coach Cleaner based in Miami, Florida, was terminated from employment on October 5, 2023, following her administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the employee violated company policies by engaging in outside employment while on a medical leave of absence.

Hanna Dinh, a California resident, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud on October 2, 2023, in U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Our investigation found that Dinh and others made false statements to lenders in connection with fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for her company (HD Financial Firm), including false representations regarding the number of employees on the company’s payroll and false certifications that the loans would be used for permissible business purposes. Dinh incorporated HD Financial Firm in June 2020, and was its sole officer and registered agent. Dinh and others submitted fraudulent EIDL and PPP loan applications seeking approximately $260,672.This investigation is part of a nationwide law enforcement action, that resulted in criminal charges against 18 defendants for their alleged participation in fraud schemes that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic. A co-defendant in this case, Dr. Anthony Hao Dinh, was also charged for allegedly orchestrating an approximately $230 million fraud on the Health Resources and Services Administration Uninsured Program. Dr. Dinh allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for treatment of patients, including Amtrak employees, that were insured but billed them to the uninsured progra

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) initiated this Special Inquiry following a radioactive release to the environment from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) test reactor located in Gaithersburg, Maryland on February 3, 2021. After the release, the NIST test reactor was shut down for more than two years before receiving authorization to restart from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This NIST event was one of eight unscheduled incidents or events in fiscal year 2021 that the NRC determined to be significant to public health or safety.This Special Inquiry’s focus broadened from the 2021 NIST event to include consideration of the NRC’s oversight of other Research and Test Reactor (RTR) facilities to assess potential systemic issues. However, this report primarily discusses the NRC’s oversight of the NIST test reactor prior to the February 2021 event because the event highlights areas in which the agency’s oversight could be improved as it relates to other smaller nuclear facilities.

We have identified a concern regarding the inability of both OIG and Agency personnel to extract EPA SBIR contract data—such as information about proposals, bids, awards, contractors, and subcontractors—from the EPA Acquisition System in meaningful ways to allow for oversight through data analytics, queries, and other proactive initiatives.

We found that the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights applied an incorrect legal standard and backdated final agency decisions.