Investigative Reports

An Amtrak ticket/accounting representative based in Greensboro, North Carolina, was terminated from employment on March 27, 2025, following an administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policy by allowing an unknown and un-ticketed individual to proceed to the train platform and put an unidentified package onto the train without knowing its contents. The package was subsequently found to contain illegal narcotics. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General investigated potential displacement of paid staff at Hawaii Community Assets (HCA), undisclosed dual employment by a program official at HCA and Aloha United Way (AUW), and improper charging of time by two Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program officials at AUW.

A former AmeriCorps grantee staff member (“Complainant”) alleged that management at the grantee terminated the Complainant’s employment after the Complainant made a protected disclosure related to the Complainant’s concerns about the grantee’s financial management and stewardship. AmeriCorps OIG concluded that the evidence did not support the allegations of whistleblower retaliation. The grantee terminated the Complainant based on performance issues that predated any protected disclosure.

Two employees violated Amtrak policies by not disclosing a potential conflict of interest when they were assigned to a Technical Evaluation Committee for an infrastructure assessment program. While participating on the committee, both employees failed to disclose that a family member worked for one of the companies they were evaluating. One employee resigned and is not eligible for rehire, while the other received a final warning disciplinary letter.

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General investigated allegations that Movement of Youth, located in Durham, NC, improperly paid living allowances to AmeriCorps members before they were enrolled into the My AmeriCorps Portal and the AmeriCorps grants management system (eGrants).

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General investigated alleged whistleblower retaliation at an AmeriCorps grantee. Following receipt of AmeriCorps OIG's report summarizing the investigation, AmeriCorps did not substantiate the complaint or order relief. 

An Amtrak carman based in Miami, Florida, resigned from his position on March 17, 2025, following an interview with our agents. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policies by leaving work early so he could report to a second job. The former employee is not eligible for rehire. Previously, another employee identified in this investigation also resigned from his position.

A train attendant based in Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on March 12, 2025, in United States District Court, Northern District of Indiana, to two years of probation, and was ordered to pay $65,832 in restitution. Our investigation found that the employee
provided fraudulent documents and made false representations to obtain two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $40,832, to which he was not entitled. Our investigation also found that the employee provided fraudulent information to the Illinois Housing Development Authority and was awarded a $25,000 grant based upon his false representations.
The employee pleaded guilty on May 14, 2024, to mail fraud.

An Amtrak lead service attendant based in Los Angeles, California, resigned from her position on March 7, 2025, in lieu of an administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policies by engaging in outside employment while on a medical leave of absence and continuing to receive Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) sickness and supplemental sickness benefits during that time, and by making false representations in support of her RRB and unemployment insurance claims. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

An Amtrak electrician based in Chicago, Illinois, was terminated from employment on March 7, 2025, following an administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee was arrested and charged with first degree murder and was on a medical leave of absence while incarcerated.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program funds community-based transitional housing for veterans experiencing homelessness. An OIG administrative investigation examined VHA’s oversight of the Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD), a GPD program grantee providing drug treatment and other services. 

The OIG found that staff at the VA San Diego Healthcare System (the VA facility) responsible for local oversight of VVSD were aware that in 2021 and through most of 2022, issues with drug sales by non-VA residents, drug use, and insufficient staffing increased risks to veterans co-located there. However, VA facility staff did not take timely or effective action to ensure VVSD remediated these issues. Local facility staff lacked important information related to residents at VVSD who were funded by non-VA entities. Also, a regional official responsible for GPD oversight did not provide adequate support. Finally, the OIG found that the GPD National Program Office could have provided clearer guidance on key issues, such as when certain grantee enforcement measures should be used and how to redress recurrent grant noncompliance issues.

The OIG followed up the initial investigation with a limited review of VHA oversight of VVSD through September 2024, prompted in part by reports that improvements may not have taken hold. The investigation revealed that issues related to veteran care and safety, and a lack of information about co-located non-VA residents, recurred or persisted at VVSD. 

VHA concurred with the OIG’s finding and five recommendations to improve governing policies, training, or other guidance, and appropriate follow-up for GPD-funded residents at VVSD who lost access to drug treatment services there. VHA provided acceptable action plans and completion timelines. The OIG will monitor VA’s progress until sufficient documentation has been received to close the recommendations as implemented.

A former executive of a Chicago-area non-profit organization has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for her role in misappropriating $1.8 million intended to support the charity’s work with underprivileged youth.

An Amtrak carman based in Miami, Florida, resigned from his position on March 2, 2025, while under investigation. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policies by leaving work early so he could report to a second job as an airline mechanic at the Miami airport. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

We substantiated allegations that management and staff of Panoche Water District conspired to illegally divert water from CA and BOR waterways.