Investigative Reports

The OIG investigated allegations that contractor George Patton, after being debarred from Government contracting by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), created several companies through family members and another associate and improperly obtained U.S. Government contracts from 2013 to 2015. We found that Patton was debarred from Government contracting via a voluntary exclusion agreement with the DOI during this time frame.We found that George Patton’s brother, Henry Patton; his ex-wife, Lindsey Patton; and others created four companies after George Patton’s debarment to allow him to continue bidding on and managing Government contracts, in violation of his exclusion agreement. While Patton was debarred, the four companies obtained multiple Government contracts valued at over $5 million combined. We found that George Patton received the majority of the proceeds and that the partners only participated nominally in their respective companies. During our investigation, we also uncovered evidence that George Patton and Lindsey Patton failed to report income from the companies to the Federal Government via individual tax returns.In October 2018, George Patton pleaded guilty in the Middle District of North Carolina to one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and one count of tax evasion. He was later sentenced to 10 months of confinement, 36 months of supervised release, and a $300 assessment. In October 2018, Henry Patton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and was later sentenced to 36 months of probation and a $100 assessment. In November 2018, Lindsey Patton pleaded guilty to tax evasion and was later sentenced to 36 months of probation and a $100 assessment. George and Lindsey Patton were also ordered to jointly pay restitution in the amount of $107,625.75.

An Amtrak Service/Train Attendant in Chicago, Illinois, was terminated from employment on May 23, 2019, following an administrative hearing for violating company policy. Our investigation found that the employee used a Social Security number that did not belong to her and lied to Human Resources personnel when questioned about it.

A former Amtrak Lead Service Attendant in Chicago, Illinois, entered into an agreement with the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, to participate in the Veteran’s Treatment Court program for a period of two years for the theft of funds from the company. The former employee was also ordered to pay $2,418 in restitution. The former employee was previously arrested on June 1, 2018 and was subsequently terminated by the company on August 23, 2018.

The OIG investigated allegations that a National Park Service (NPS) Facility Manager stole NPS funds, abused his purchase card authority, misused a Government Owned Vehicle (GOV), and concealed criminal convictions to gain NPS employment.We confirmed the allegations. The employee spent approximately $2,297 on his Government purchase card to purchase items that he later pawned. We also confirmed that the employee leased roll-away dumpsters with Federal funds, partially to discard personal items. The employee also regularly used a GOV for personal errands. Finally, we found that prior to his employment, the employee falsified his application to the NPS by failing to disclose three criminal convictions.The employee pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor theft in county court, was sentenced to 1 day in jail, and was ordered to pay full restitution. He resigned from the NPS in lieu of termination.This is a summary of a report we issued to the NPS Deputy Director Exercising the Authority of Director.

In a joint investigation with the U.S. Department of Education OIG, we investigated allegations of suspected bank fraud and identity theft after discovering evidence that Sharon Hall obtained fraudulent student loans while employed as a surface mine specialist for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) in London, KY.We found that Hall committed bank fraud and identity theft when she obtained nine student loans totaling more than $93,000 in the names of relatives using false representations and pretenses. She subsequently retired from the OSMRE.On January 12, 2018, the Federal District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky convicted Hall of 11 counts of 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (Bank Fraud) and 1 count of 18 U.S.C. § 1028 (Aggravated Identity Theft). She was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $128,273.54 in restitution.This is a summary of an investigative report we issued to the OSMRE Deputy Director.

The OIG investigated allegations that Foster Construction of South Florida, Inc., a National Park Service (NPS) prime contractor, did not fully compensate its subcontractor for construction services on two projects at the Virgin Islands National Park.We found that Adrian Foster, the owner of Foster Construction, submitted false payment applications to the NPS on two construction contracts when she certified that Foster Construction had paid the subcontractor all monies due for work completed under the contracts when it had not.Foster pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands for violating 18 U.S.C. § 1001, “False Statements,” and was subsequently sentenced to 22 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $135,507. Foster and Foster Construction were also debarred from participation in Federal procurement and nonprocurement programs for approximately 3 years.This is a summary of a report we issued to the NPS Deputy Director Exercising the Authority of Director.

DOL-OIG bi-monthly Investigations Newsletter Volume XXI, for the period of February 1 - March 31, 2019.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) received allegations that a current VA employee and the employee’s spouse, a former (retired) VA employee, improperly released VA procurement information. There was insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations. The OIG determined that the complainant’s information was hearsay and there was no direct evidence. The OIG interviewed the complainant’s source and determined that the source’s information did not support the allegations raised by the complainant.