Investigative Reports

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) investigated an allegation that College Possible staff and an AmeriCorps member were lobbying at the state capitol in Olympia, WA. AmeriCorps OIG’s investigation substantiated the allegation, and confirmed that only one member was in attendance and the lobbying activity was limited to one day. AmeriCorps OIG referred the matter to AmeriCorps State and National (ASN) and recommended it disallow the member’s service hours and a staff member’s hours that had been charged as matching expenditures for the date of the lobbying activity. AmeriCorps OIG also recommended that ASN provide additional training to College Possible on prohibited activities.

In March 2023, while conducting an audit of the Denver Logistics Center (DLC), the OIG found an employee recreation group was auctioning items that VA purchasers had requested through free offers associated with supply orders that met a minimum-dollar threshold. DLC staff auction winners took the items for personal use, and the proceeds were used to fund staff social events. The OIG initiated this administrative investigation to examine possible misconduct by VA senior leaders responsible for maintaining ethical procurement practices.DLC purchasing agents claimed free items for 32 purchases from February 2021 through May 2023. The employee recreation group then sold the items to staff through silent auctions. Under federal law, the items were government property because they were part of a purchase made by VA. Federal ethics regulations state, “employee[s] ha[ve] a duty to protect and conserve Government property and shall not use such property, or allow its use, for other than authorized purposes.” DLC leaders and staff had taken related VA ethics and purchase card training, which explained management of government property, ethical restraints on receiving free incentives, and purchase card prohibitions; however, no one at the DLC appeared to have questioned the propriety of the auctions.The OIG found the purchases associated with the free items constituted waste. Contrary to VA policy, which requires every effort be made to use government-wide or agency contracts, the DLC purchased these items without considering a preestablished government contract. The DLC director halted the auctions and the acceptance of free merchandise in June 2023. VA concurred with the OIG’s six recommendations that include a full accounting of losses and recoveries, enhanced guidance and training, and taking any other needed administrative actions. VA was also alerted to 168 other facilities that appeared to be receiving free incentives for further examination.

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) investigated allegations ofnoncompliance with grant terms and conditions stemming from the AmeriCorps Office ofMonitoring’s (OM) review of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program – Volunteers in Service(RSVP-VIS)

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) investigated allegations of fraud, waste, and mismanagement at the Harrison County Council on Aging’s (HCCA) Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Bethany, MO. HCCA was unable to produce financial records related to its RSVP program upon request. Information obtained during interviews indicated that HCCA did not provide adequate oversight of its RSVP program.

An Amtrak secretary based in Pennsylvania violated company policies by regularly logging into work remotely, then not showing up to her worksite or arriving late, leaving early, or both. Our investigation found that the employee logged in remotely 30 times on 18 days during a one-month period, when her supervisor only approved her to work remotely on only four of the 18 days. Therefore, the employee was absent from her worksite without her supervisor’s knowledge or approval on 22 of 30 instances. She was terminated on March 12, 2024, after her corporate hearing. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

On March 9, 2024, an Amtrak Foreman II based in Miami, Florida, signed a civil settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida, and agreed to pay a total of $20,000, including $16,100.93 in restitution. Our investigation found that the employee applied for and received a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan for an alleged catering company business in the amount of $13,540. During his interview, the employee admitted that the PPP loan application was false, and his business did not generate the income which appeared on his loan application.

An Amtrak employee based in Seattle, Washington, was terminated from employment on March 7, 2024, following our investigation. Our investigation found that the employee violated company policies by using his company email to conduct business for an outlaw motorcycle gang and by maintaining sexually explicit images on his company devices. The former employee also acknowledged that he was denied entry into Canada due to his association with the outlaw motorcycle gang, thus interfering with his ability to perform his duties.

An Amtrak car inspector based in New York, New York, violated company policies by engaging in outside employment as a bus operator; providing security services at night clubs, lounges, and bars; and working as a bouncer while on a medical leave of absence. The employee was on a medical leave of absence from the company since November 8, 2015, and had not returned to work. On March 6, 2024, after his corporate trial and in accordance with his union agreement, the employee forfeited his seniority and is considered out of service.

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), completed an investigation into a fraudulent Facebook account bearing the name and image of GPO Director Hugh Halpern.

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) investigated allegations that City Year, Inc.’s Chicago office (CYC) made unallowable charges on its procurement cards. AmeriCorps OIG reviewed CYC’s procurement card expenses and identified nearly $114,000 in questionable and unsupported expenses charged to AmeriCorps funds between 2014 and 2019.

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) investigated an allegation that thePerry County School District (PCSD) in New Augusta, Mississippi enrolled PCSD employees in itsGrow Your Own Teacher AmeriCorps program as full-time AmeriCorps members (members) andhad them perform the same duties as members that they performed as PCSD employees.

Eric Graham, a former Amtrak conductor based in New York, used a stolen identity to obtain employment on July 8, 1998, and continued to use that identity for over twenty-years. Our investigation determined that Graham used the stolen identity to illegally obtain a passport, credit cards, Railroad Retirement Board benefits, Amtrak employment benefits including medical coverage, and to file federal tax returns. Graham separated from Amtrak voluntarily with retirement disability on October 14, 2021. On February 13, 2024, Graham pleaded guilty in Queens Criminal Court in Kew Gardens, New York, to a misdemeanor charge of Filing a False Instrument in the Second Degree and was sentenced to probation for twelve-months.

Hanna Dinh, a California resident, was sentenced on February 12, 2024, in U.S. District Court, Central District of California, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Dinh was sentenced to 20 months in prison, followed by 3 years’ probation, of which 7 months is to be served as home confinement.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. The applications included 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 relief funds. A co-defendant in this case, Dr. Anthony Hao Dinh, a licensed doctor of osteopathy who was an ear, nose, and throat specialist and a facial plastic surgeon, was charged in September 2023 for allegedly defrauding the Health Resources and Services Administration Uninsured Program of approximately $230 million. Anthony Hao Dinh allegedly submitted fraudulent claims to the Uninsured Program for treatment of patients, including Amtrak employees, who were, in fact, insured. In addition, Anthony Hao Dinh allegedly billed for services not rendered and for services that were not medically necessary.