Former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud the U.S. Government
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<div>A former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from the theft of proprietary software and sensitive databases from the U.S. government.</div>
A former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from the theft of proprietary software and sensitive databases from the U.S. government.
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Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke Announces a Pattern or Practice Investigation of the City of Mount Vernon, New York, and the Mount Vernon Police DepartmentIn Crime NewsDecember 3, 2021Thank you, United States Attorney Williams, for that kind introduction.[Read More…]
Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Chuck Todd of NBC Meet the PressJanuary 23, 2022Antony J. Blinken, [Read More…]- 10th Anniversary of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human RightsJune 16, 2021Antony J. Blinken, [Read More…]
- Macroprudential Oversight: Principles for Evaluating Policies to Assess and Mitigate Risks to Financial System StabilityIn U.S GAO NewsJanuary 28, 2021GAO is providing a framework for evaluating macroprudential policy—that is, activities designed to assess and mitigate risks to financial system stability. The framework presents six general components of macroprudential policy and 18 principles (see table), as well as related standards, for establishing the foundation of such policy and putting it into operation. Government actors—such as the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and its member agencies—are responsible for meeting or contributing to framework principles as they relate to the actors' individual areas of macroprudential responsibility or authority. GAO refers to government actors with collective macroprudential policy responsibilities as the macroprudential entity. GAO Framework for Evaluating Macroprudential Policy Component Principles The macroprudential entity should: Mandate and scope Have a clear mandate Have a scope of responsibilities that extends across the financial system Establish measurable and specific intermediate objectives reflecting the full scope of its responsibilities Governance Have a governance structure promoting willingness to mitigate risks to financial stability in a timely manner Have authorities promoting ability to act consistent with mandate and scope Have transparency requirements promoting the effectiveness, legitimacy, and predictability of macroprudential policy Risk assessment Establish a risk-assessment program corresponding to the scope of the financial system and the entity’s intermediate objectives Identify and analyze potential sources of systemic risk Develop criteria to evaluate significance of risk Establish policies and procedures to conduct systematic risk assessments Risk mitigation Develop a range of macroprudential tools consistent with mandate and scope of responsibilities Develop policies and procedures for conducting risk-mitigation activities Evaluation Evaluate effectiveness of its efforts Document and communicate evaluation findings and promptly remediate issues Data and information Use quality data Develop useful information for decision-making Document information appropriately Establish policies and procedures for sharing data and information Source: GAO. | GAO 21 230SP The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act established FSOC to identify and respond to threats to financial stability in the United States. Other countries have created similar entities, and a growing body of research has developed around these macroprudential structures and approaches. This report presents a principles-based framework to serve as criteria for assessing the financial stability efforts of FSOC and its member agencies. It is intended as a resource for GAO and other auditors, FSOC and its member agencies, and Congress. It also may be useful to others, both domestically and internationally. In developing this framework, GAO reviewed literature on macroprudential policy, prior GAO reports, relevant laws and regulations, and international risk-management guidelines. GAO also interviewed or held discussion groups with representatives of FSOC and its member agencies; international financial stability entities, supreme audit institutions, and international organizations; public interest and industry groups; former regulators and civil servants; and academic and regulatory experts. For more information, contact Michael E. Clements at (202) 512-8678 or ClementsM@gao.gov.[Read More…]
Joint Press Statement on the 11th U.S.-Japan Policy Cooperation Dialogue on the Internet EconomySeptember 26, 2020Office of the [Read More…]- Eleven Defendants Charged with Murder in Indian CountryIn Crime NewsMay 14, 2021A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Oklahoma has returned separate indictments charging 11 defendants with murder and other various violent crimes arising out of Indian Country.[Read More…]
- [Protest of Army Rejection of Bid for Cleaning Flue Gas Research]In U.S GAO NewsAugust 17, 2021A firm protested an Army contract award for innovative research into cleaning flue gas, contending that the Army improperly evaluated the proposals. GAO held that the: (1) protester failed to provide evidence that the Army's actions were motivated by bad faith, violated any applicable regulations, or were inconsistent with the terms of the solicitation; and (2) evaluation and award decision were consistent with the solicitation's criteria. Accordingly, the protest was denied.[Read More…]
- Texas Sport Supplement Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-Like DrugsIn Crime NewsDecember 22, 2020A former Texas resident and his sport supplement company pleaded guilty today to a felony charge relating to the introduction of unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce, the Department of Justice announced.[Read More…]
- Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Dean Thompson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Peninsula Affairs, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Daniel Benaim, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Dereck Hogan On the Secretary’s Upcoming Travel to Qatar and GermanySeptember 3, 2021Dean Thompson, Acting [Read More…]
- Peruvian National Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Defraud Thousands of Spanish-Speaking ImmigrantsIn Crime NewsJuly 9, 2021A Peruvian national has been sentenced to 90 months in prison for operating a series of call centers in Peru that defrauded Spanish-speaking U.S. residents by falsely threatening them with arrest, deportation and other legal consequences. In the same case, two additional Peruvian co-conspirators pleaded guilty and two others were extradited to the Southern District of Florida to face prosecution for their roles in the scheme.[Read More…]
- Seeking Justice for the Kidnapping and Murder of Daniel PearlJanuary 28, 2021Antony J. Blinken, [Read More…]
- Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers Delivers Remarks Announcing People’s Republic of China Related ArrestsIn Crime NewsOctober 28, 2020Good morning. Today, I’m joined by FBI Director Chris Wray and, remotely, by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Seth DuCharme, to announce charges against eight individuals for acting as agents of the People’s Republic of China while taking part in an illegal Chinese law enforcement operation known as Fox Hunt here in the United States. Five of these individuals were arrested across the country this morning. The rest, we believe, are in China.[Read More…]
- Targeting Repression and Supporting DemocracyDecember 7, 2021Antony J. Blinken, [Read More…]
FY 2021 Local Jail Reporting Program (LJRP) Pilot TestIn Justice NewsMay 2, 2021(Solicitation)
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is seeking applications for funding for the FY 2021 Local Jail Reporting Program Pilot Test. This pilot test will collect individual-level administrative record data from 10 large jails. The information collected will include jail admissions and releases, demographic characteristics of inmates, charges and dispositions, and sentences.
Grants.gov Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. eastern time on June 14, 2021; JustGrants Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. eastern time on June 28, 2021 [Read More…]
2018 Pacific Island Disasters: Federal Actions Helped Facilitate the Response, but FEMA Needs to Address Long-Term Recovery ChallengesIn U.S GAO NewsFebruary 3, 2021The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) took steps prior to the 2018 disasters in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and Hawaii to facilitate response in the region, where time and distance from the continental United States create unique challenges. For instance, FEMA increased the capacity of two Pacific-area supply distribution centers and helped develop area specific disaster response plans. FEMA and its federal partners, such as the Department of Defense (DOD), had varied response roles, which local officials in the CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii considered effective. For example, DOD provided temporary roof repair for disaster survivors in the CNMI. Damage from Typhoon Yutu in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (left) and the Kilauea Volcano Eruption in Hawaii (right) As of October 2020, FEMA obligated $877 million—more than 70 percent of which was for Individual and Public Assistance missions—following the 2018 disasters and made progress addressing some region specific challenges. However, FEMA has not fully addressed housing assistance issues in the CNMI. For example, it experienced delays implementing its Permanent Housing Construction program in the CNMI due to contracting shortfalls and lack of experienced staff. As of October 2020, only about 30 percent of homes were completed and returned to survivors. GAO found that these housing assistance challenges are consistent with lessons learned from prior FEMA missions in other remote areas of the U.S. Developing guidance that addresses lessons learned in the Permanent Housing Construction program could help streamline assistance to disaster survivors. GAO also identified delays in FEMA's obligation of Public Assistance program funds—used to repair or replace disaster-damaged public infrastructure such as utilities, roads, and schools—in the CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii. Specifically, on average, it took over a year for FEMA to approve funds for projects awarded after the 2018 disasters. FEMA and local officials identified potential reasons for the delays, including cost estimation challenges. FEMA established cost factors in the CNMI to account for higher construction costs, and GAO found that FEMA collects some data on the timeliness of individual steps in the process. However, FEMA has not analyzed the data to help identify causes of the delays, which could allow it to target solutions to address them. The CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii experienced an unprecedented number of natural disasters in 2018—including typhoons, earthquakes, mudslides, and volcanic eruptions. FEMA is the lead federal agency responsible for helping states and territories prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters. Due to the remoteness of Hawaii and the Pacific territories, disaster response and recovery can be challenging. Title IX of the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 includes a provision for GAO to review FEMA's response and recovery efforts for 2018 natural disasters, including those in the Pacific region. This report examines (1) how FEMA and its federal partners prepared for and responded to the 2018 disasters in the CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii; and (2) the extent to which FEMA assisted the CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii in recovering from the 2018 natural disasters. GAO analyzed program documents, response plans, and data on FEMA obligations, expenditures, and grant process steps as of October 2020; interviewed federal, state, territorial, and local officials; and visited disaster-damaged areas in Hawaii. GAO is making four recommendations, including that FEMA (1) incorporate lessons learned into Permanent Housing Construction guidance; and (2) use performance data to identify and address inefficiencies in the Public Assistance program. The Department of Homeland Security concurred, and FEMA is taking actions in response. For more information, contact Chris Currie at (404) 679-1875 or curriec@gao.gov.[Read More…]- Owner of Oil Chem Inc. Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water ActIn Crime NewsJanuary 14, 2021The president and owner of Oil Chem Inc. pleaded guilty in federal court in Flint, Michigan, to a criminal charge of violating the Clean Water Act stemming from illegal discharges of landfill leachate — totaling more than 47 million gallons — into the city of Flint sanitary sewer system over an eight and a half year period.[Read More…]
Department of Justice Awards $16 Million in Grants to Advance Community Policing Efforts and Provide Active Shooter Training to First Responders Across the CountryIn Crime NewsSeptember 9, 2020The Department of [Read More…]- Security Assistance: Efforts to Secure Colombia’s Cano Limon-Covenas Oil Pipeline Have Reduced Attacks, but Challenges RemainIn U.S GAO NewsAugust 25, 2021Oil is one of Colombia's principal exports. The Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipeline transports almost 20 percent of Colombia's oil production. The pipeline originates in the Department of Arauca in northeast Colombia. It carries oil nearly 500 miles to the Caribbean port of Covenas. The pipeline has been a principal infrastructure target for terrorist attacks by Colombia's insurgent groups. During 2001, attacks on the pipeline cost the Colombian government an estimated $500 million in lost revenues for the year. The United States agreed to assist Colombia in protecting the first 110 miles of the pipeline where most of the attacks were occurring. We examined how the U.S. funding and resources provided to Colombia have been used, and what challenges remain in securing the pipeline.Since fiscal year 2002, the United States has provided about $99 million in equipment and training to the Colombian Army to minimize terrorist attacks along the first 110 miles of the Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipeline, mostly in the Arauca department. U.S. Special Forces have provided training and equipment to about 1,600 Colombian Army soldiers. However, the delivery of 10 helicopters purchased for the program was delayed--arriving mid 2005. Without the helicopters, the Colombian Army's ability to respond rapidly to pipeline attacks has been limited. Additionally, some equipment, such as night vision goggles, has not arrived due to the long lead-time required to obtain these items because of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Despite the delays in equipment deliveries, the number of attacks on the Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipeline has declined and security in the area has improved. In addition, the Colombian Army and Colombian National Police have improved relations with the civilian population and new oil exploration is occurring in the area due to the improved security. However, challenges to securing the pipeline remain. More attacks are occurring on the Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipeline outside the 110-mile long area originally addressed. Most of the Colombian Army stationed in these other areas has not received U.S. training. In addition, the insurgents have attacked the electrical grid system that provides energy to the Cano Limon oilfield. Without electricity, oil cannot be pumped. Because the U.S. funds provided for the program will be depleted by the end of September 2005, sustainability of the progress made is uncertain. Colombia cannot fully operate and maintain the helicopters provided without continued U.S. support; and due to U.S. commitments in other parts of the world, U.S. Special Forces will be reducing personnel in Colombia, which will limit future training.[Read More…]
Chief Standing Bear: A Hero of Native American Civil RightsIn U.S CourtsOctober 29, 2020A new Moments in History video, in recognition of Native American Heritage Month, recounts how Chief Standing Bear persuaded a federal judge in 1879 to recognize Native Americans as persons with the right to sue for their freedom, establishing him as one of the nation’s earliest civil rights heroes.[Read More…]
Transit-Oriented Development: DOT Should Better Document Its Rationale for Financing Decisions and Evaluate Its Pilot ProgramIn U.S GAO NewsDecember 3, 2021What GAO Found Transit agencies and local governments have looked to increase transit ridership and revenues by encouraging growth along transit corridors with transit-oriented development. Such projects generally comprise mixed-use residential and commercial real estate near transit. In 2015, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act expanded eligibility under two federal financing programs administered by the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Build America Bureau (Bureau) to transit-oriented development projects. While the Bureau has provided information on these programs to many potential project sponsors, it has not approved financing for any transit-oriented development projects since 2016 or clearly documented all project eligibility decisions. Specifically, the Bureau received 29 inquiries from project sponsors—mostly joint ventures by developers and local agencies—about financing such projects. All but seven inquiries were in early stages of development and not ready for the Bureau to assess their eligibility for financial assistance. Of the seven more developed projects, the Bureau determined that six were ineligible for financing and that one project is preliminarily eligible. However, we found the Bureau did not clearly document its rationale for five of the six declared ineligible, in part because it did not follow its procedures for conducting these reviews and implemented new procedures without documenting the changes. Without a clearly documented rationale for eligibility decisions and procedures for making decisions, sponsors lack reasonable assurance that the Bureau is reviewing projects consistently. Transit-Oriented Development Project Inquiries to the Build America Bureau since 2016 The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awards grants through a pilot program to help transit agencies and communities plan for transit-oriented development. While FTA has invested almost $80 million through this pilot program since FTA made its first awards in 2015, it has not documented a plan to evaluate the pilot or identify lessons learned in line with leading practices. Without such an evaluation, FTA will not be able to understand whether the pilot program is fulfilling its goals to help communities develop strategies to facilitate transit-oriented development. Further, FTA will lack information to inform congressional decisions about the pilot program's future. Why GAO Did This Study U.S. transit agencies face fiscal challenges and rely heavily on local, state, and federal funding to operate rail and bus systems. Transit-oriented development projects could help transit agencies increase ridership and revenues, and Congress has sought ways to support these projects. A 2012 statute established a pilot program for FTA to provide grants to communities to plan for transit-oriented development, and a 2015 statute expanded eligibility under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program and the Railroad Rehabilitation Improvement and Financing program to include transit-oriented development projects. GAO was asked to review DOT's transit-oriented development efforts. This report, among other things, examines: (1) the status of the Bureau's reviews of transit-oriented development projects since 2016 and the extent to which it documented decisions, and (2) how FTA has evaluated the pilot program for transit-oriented development planning. GAO reviewed Bureau documents, surveyed applicants for the Bureau's financing, and interviewed transit agencies in the pilot program selected by ridership, location, and other factors.[Read More…]
