NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 4201 WILSON BOULEVARD ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22230 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL MEMORANDUM Date: April 3,1998 To: Via: Re : Case Resolution Background On April 14, 1997, NSFOIG received an internal audit report from University o NSF grant According to the audit repor Energy (DOE) funde commercial bank account to Specifically, the audit report identified that, in early 1996 approximately $6,000 ($2,000 on January 9, 1996 and $4,000 on March 2 from the unauthorized bank # account. Then, on-four separate occasions (June 3, 1996, July 20, 1996, September 6, 1996, and September 18, 1996), wrote herself $11,600 worth of checks from this account by forging signature. was dismissed in January 1997, and reimbursed $18,600. Investigation checks, and reviewed other NSFOIG interviewers obtained a signed affidavit fro- dmitted to writing herself forging- name. Also, th a In the We obtained copies of all of the questione I We identified sever ade misrepresentations in US-IE forms, 5s) 'and charged alcohol expenses related r -also inflated guest attendance nt for meal expenses that exceeded the ap ns may have resulted in $10,816 in questionable costs, and this issue has been referred to t h e m f f i c e of Internal Audit for resolution. In addition, we have referred this issue to the DOE'S Office of Inspector I General. That office is now reviewin-OE-related travel expenses for possible fraud. Referral and Case Resolution ' -- - -- ~... _ __ -~ .. ~. ~,~ - . ---- ... .. On September 23, 1997, we referred this matter to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, recommending that they pursue criminal action While the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to take action agains w e d a n d was summoned to court on December 10, 1997. and Assistant . . Attorney C. entered an agreement for pretrial diversion of this matter. The terms of the t h a e m a i n on supervised probation for 18 months, obtain psychological counseling, and perform 200 hours of community service. s h o u 1 d i l ) v l o l a t e this probation, she will be liable for her actions which led to the pretrial diversion and the act which violated her probation. In addition, after reviewing the NSFOIG analysis of Form 5s submitted by reimbursed the NSF grant $7,365 for unallowable alcohol and Due to lack of evidence to suggest other criminal or civil violations by - o w h e r investigation by NSFOIG is not warranted at this time. This case is closed.
Grant Fraud
Published by the National Science Foundation, Office of Inspector General on 1998-04-03.
Below is a raw (and likely hideous) rendition of the original report. (PDF)