MEMORANDUM ~ .--.. " DATE: TO: I97090048 il I RE: close-out 0-ase Background On March, 20, 1997, this oflice received an allegation fiom Dr. program officer in the Division of who brought a letter '$nd supporting materials from Dr. retaliation against her government funds he University o Dr. m l e g e d : complained to University authorities about sexual harrassment and denial 6f access to NSF-funded equipment and 2) that Dr. d a private, for-profit coboration called the which was addLrtising the NSF-hnded equipment for personal profit. I through July 3 1, . , I The award was made to the Univers project was conducted under the direction of *-ad D 'I Investipative Results I I I 1) No evidence of financial gain via the use of the NSF-funded found, and 2) no evidence of personal gain by Dr. a his company, found. Investigative Methods and Scope dfi i. Theallegations regardingthe retaliation were referred to the .... Misconduct ahd . , Legal - ..-.. ... - . sections: Dr. The Investigations section focused on the allegation regar mng possible nanclal improprieties relating to the use of tge NSF-funded equipment. Investigations also coordinated with Misconduct and Legal tollensure that all overlapping information and evidence pertaining to possible financial imprdprietieswas I I I explored. !I I! The scoDe of this investigation included document reauests from the ~nivdrsitvof - representative. ' i The following was determined: 11 The NSF-fbnded is much delayed in its set-up' and use, and 1 1) no moneys have been charged for its use. According to the consistent photos were t$en I between April 18, 1996 through September 8, 1997. However, as of a ~ a n d b7, r ~1998 conversation with Dr. h was difficult to pse, not fully operational, and considerable amounts of effort and technical expertise was required to produce a single image. Dr. a s not charged for $s use, nor is he aware of any other being charged for use. I the sole conduit for the processing of ny such documentation. NJ Gdicators of such deposits were present with a review oT a n k statemints from the period of July 3 1, 1995 through November 19 '1 I 3) a s incorporated in October, 1989. The University, according to Internal Audit ~ i r e c t oar d always know about its existendk, and that it - - -- -- -- - - - .--- 1 , financial records b I President for Health Affairs on June 2, 199 I Subsequently, a third audit was conducted I I behest of eht , President o f t indicating any misappropriation of funds. I contract be made between m d t+ the future. 4.) NSF OIG's review o a r 2 statements between July 3 1, i995 and November 1997 indicated that there was only one payment larger ihan $500 made to Dr. #1221, in the amount of $3,264, was a his purchase of a ne of several bought by &ated (hat she had seen this computer, and that the University had title to this machine. I 5) The NSF-funded was advertised, along with many other i I pieces of equipment, on an internet page dedicated to- resources.' According to ~r.-his pa e created to show the various resources available to those desiring to usem n dL J n i V e m I t "raisel:] funds for the growth of the Department of hispage is still on the net, in a revised form, without I the fee-for- service content. 2 Sometime after Dr. -covered the existence of the il site, and made various allegations to the Unlverslty, the webpage disappeared. en asked to e!iplain this occurrence, ~ rt . e d that the net page rovider had also thought the pagb was intended as a private enterprise and thus wanted to charge &r higher rate structure for commercial venture pages. ~r.-x~lained to the net provider a not-for-profit, and the 11 page was re-instated. I According to Dr. -total revenues over the past 5-8 years is approximately $80,000. These funds are used to defray the costs of ~ e ~ a r t m e n t a l expenses, through the purchase of equipment, the provision of stipdnds for graduate students, the fbnding of student travel to meetings, the fbnding of annual i 1t rties, and the purchase of fbmiture. The University doesi!notreimburse r the~e'ex~enses. II ~onclusions '1 Based on the above information analyzed, and particularly in light of the thiee institutional audits performed & v e r the past three years, no significant findinhs of fiaud, or.resourcesb.found,..a.n4 4thejn_\ie_sfigative[~ofli~n -.waste-or-abuse-of-f~der_a1&_n_4~ of this -- case is closed. -I :'.; y ;i; ,.. :Ii . ;j jj
Grant Fraud
Published by the National Science Foundation, Office of Inspector General on 1998-01-31.
Below is a raw (and likely hideous) rendition of the original report. (PDF)