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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration struggled to properly vet and monitor the homes where they placed a surge of migrant children who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021, according to a federal watchdog report released Thursday. In about a third of the cases reviewed by the federal watchdog, the agency did not have legible documentation for the adults on file. The federal watchdog analyzed the case files of more than 300 migrant children from early 2021, months after thousands of children had trekked to the U.S. border seeking asylum. HHS is supposed to obtain IDs for the adults – called sponsors – who take in migrant children. And, for every five cases, HHS didn’t follow up to check on the children it had placed, often for months.

Persons: —, Biden, ”, Haley Lubeck, “, Jeff Nesbit, Joe Biden, – Organizations: WASHINGTON, of Health, Human Services, HHS Locations: U.S, Mexico

☆ BlackRock is overhauling the way it advises powerful investors, from sovereign wealth funds to central banks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The shake-up targets the $10 trillion money manager's influential group that provides services to high-stakes institutional clients like sovereign wealth funds, insurers, and central banks. The group has ambitions to become "the most trusted advisor to financial institutions in our industry," he wrote. AdvertisementThe FSIG includes the firm's Financial Markets Advisory team and the Financial Institutions Group. It had also historically encompassed the Official Institutions Group, known as OIG, which will no longer be a stand-alone unit, a BlackRock spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday. She has been critical to driving relationships with institutions and "instrumental in making BlackRock the partner of choice for central banks globally," he wrote.

Persons: —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Charles Hatami, BlackRock's, Hatami, Isabelle Mateos y, OIG, Mateos y, Crystal Wan, Olivier Van Eyseren, Anne Parthiot, Mark Erickson, Kimberly Kim, Erickson, Hiro Shimizu, Philipp Hildebrand, BlackRock's Brandon Hall, Brandon Hall, Ben Leax, Rob Goldstein, FMA, Larry Fink Organizations: Service, Business, BlackRock's Financial, Strategic Investors Group, Business Insider, Financial, Group, BlackRock, International Monetary Fund, FIG, EMEA, Presidential, Brandon Locations: Isabelle Mateos y Lago, Hatami, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, Pacific, Ukraine, Central Asia, US

☆ Watchdog report is critical of former Fed officials in stock trading controversy
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A watchdog review into market trading from two former high-ranking Federal Reserve officials criticizes their actions but does not accuse either of doing anything illegal. Revelations showed that some Fed officials engaged in market trading at a time when they also were considering important and delicate policy matters in the early days of the Covid pandemic in 2020. The report concludes that their actions resulted in conflicts of interest that raised issues over impartiality and the proper conduct of central bank officials. On Kaplan, the report states that the OIG "did not find that his trading activities violated laws, rules, regulations, or policies related to trading activities as investigated by our office." Since the controversy, the Fed has revamped its trading rules and now prohibits officials from owning stocks, bonds and cryptocurrencies.

Persons: Robert Kaplan, Eric Rosengren, — Kaplan, Jerome Powell, Richard Clarida, Raphael Bostic, Clarida, Kaplan Organizations: Eccles Federal, Federal, Fed's, Dallas, Atlanta Fed, Fed, Kaplan, CNBC, Federal Reserve, Dallas Fed Locations: Washington , DC, Boston, U.S

☆ US lawmakers pressure FDIC chief over misconduct allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Friday's announcements suggest lawmakers will continue to pile pressure on Gruenberg over revelations about a key agency in the Biden administration's financial reform agenda. In a letter, Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee on Friday publicly notified Gruenberg of a probe announced earlier this week. An FDIC spokesperson told Reuters the agency would be "fully transparent and cooperative" with the committee's investigation. An FDIC OIG representative told Reuters on Friday the office had received the Senate Democrats' request and was reviewing it. "Chairman Gruenberg, the viability of your leadership is in question," wrote House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry and senior members Bill Huizenga and Andy Barr, all Republicans.

Persons: Martin Gruenberg, Yuri Gripas, Gruenberg, Patrick McHenry, Bill Huizenga, Andy Barr, Douglas Gillison, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, REUTERS, Companies U.S . House, U.S . Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Biden, Financial, FDIC, Reuters, Democratic, Banking, FDIC's, Democrats, Thomson Locations: Washington

☆ US lawmakers demand FDIC watchdog briefing on workplace culture
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers on the House Financial Services Committee said Tuesday they were calling for an urgent briefing from a government watchdog to address reported allegations of pervasive sexual harassment at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg was likely to face questioning on the matter during Congressional hearings with other top banking regulators this week, including a Wednesday appearance before the House Financial Services Committee. Gruenberg on Monday told staff the agency would not tolerate sexual harassment and announced that the agency had hired an outside law firm to review its internal practices. The FDIC Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported in 2020 that the FDIC's efforts to prevent sexual harassment were inadequate. "As is our practice, we will continue to monitor management challenges at the FDIC as they are brought to the attention of the OIG, including matters related to sexual harassment," said FDIC Chief of Staff Jon Lebruto.

Persons: Sheila Bair, Jason Reed, Patrick McHenry of, Martin Gruenberg, Tyler Smith, Jon Lebruto, Douglas Gillison, Anna Driver Organizations: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, REUTERS, Republican, Financial, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Street Journal, Financial Services Committee, FDIC, Monday, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington, Patrick McHenry of North Carolina

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The watchdog office overseeing the National Science Foundation is sending investigators to Antarctica's McMurdo Station after hearing concerns about the prevalence of sexual violence at the U.S. research base. It announced Friday it is appointing Renée Ferranti as a special assistant to the NSF director to focus on sexual assault and harassment prevention and response. The NSF told the AP the alcohol changes were related to morale and welfare, and were not aimed at preventing sexual harassment or assault. On Friday, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said he was delighted to welcome Ferranti, who had more than 25 years of experience in sexual assault prevention. Ferranti said in the release she hopes “to make a meaningful impact to advance NSF's progress in addressing sexual violence.”

Persons: Renée, Lisa Vonder Haar, Vonder Haar, they’d, Sethuraman Panchanathan, ” Panchanathan, Ferranti, “, ” Organizations: National Science Foundation, NSF, Renée Ferranti, Associated Press, McMurdo, AP, Ferranti Locations: WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Antarctica

☆ A former Delta copilot is accused of threatening to shoot the captain 'multiple times' if he diverted the plane due to a passenger's medical emergency
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A former Delta first officer was indicted on a count of interference with a flight crew. Jonathan Dunn was allowed a firearm in the cockpit through the TSA's Federal Flight Deck Officer program. AdvertisementAdvertisementA first officer threatened to shoot the captain of a commercial flight if he diverted the plane due to a passenger's medical emergency, the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General said. AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to the inspector general, Dunn had "a disagreement" with the captain over "a potential flight diversion due to a passenger medical event." Dunn then told the captain "they would be shot multiple times" if they diverted the flight, the inspector general said.

Persons: Jonathan Dunn, —, General, Dunn Organizations: Delta, Authorities, Service, Department of Transportation, Delta Air Lines, CBS News, Transportation Security, TSA Locations: Utah

☆ Every single one of Amtrak's shiny new Acela trains has a manufacturing defect, audit says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

All of Amtrak's new Acela trains produced so far have manufacturing defects. AdvertisementAdvertisementAmtrak's new Acela trains could be delayed yet again, according to a new government audit of the $2.1 billion project. Amtrak's Inspector General found manufacturing defects in all 12 of the trainsets and 22 café cars produced so far. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesAmtrak's new high-speed Acela trains, which will have nearly 25% more seats than their predecessor and operate at top speeds of 160 mph, were originally scheduled to launch service in Spring 2021. Amtrak says data provided by Alstom shows the trains are on track for initial revenue launch in 2024.

Persons: General's, —, it's, Scott Olson, General, Laura Mason Organizations: Service, Alstom, Amtrak, Liberty, FRA Locations: Hornell , New York

☆ FEC Commissioner Trey Trainor cleared of ethics violation after Insider reporting spurred investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2022, Insider reported that FEC Commissioner Trey Trainor was billed as a member of the "Trump Elections Team" at a local GOP event. Following the report, the FEC Office of the Inspector General opened up an investigation. The group did not find any ethics violations, though it said its investigation was hampered after Trainor and his counsel didn't cooperate. Following the report, the FEC's Office of the Inspector General began an investigation into Trainor's perceived ethical impropriety. "Neither Commissioner Trainor nor his counsel responded to numerous attempts over the course of several months by the OIG to schedule an interview," the report said.

Persons: Trey Trainor, Trainor, didn't, Donald Trump, General's, Allen Dickerson Organizations: Trump, GOP, FEC, Service, Trump Elections, Republican Party, OIG Locations: Wall, Silicon, Denton

☆ As Social Security official warns of A.I. fraud risks, one expert says criminal activity is 'here right now'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Courtney Keating | E+ | Getty ImagesWhile scrolling social media, you may find a video of President Joe Biden urging you to sign up for extra Social Security benefits for which you are eligible. The Social Security Administration is working with OIG to take appropriate steps to combat fraud, an agency spokesman said. "The agency has techniques to identify and react to suspicious bad actors," said Social Security Administration spokesman Mark Hinkle. "We look forward to continuing to work with the OIG on the evolution of AI and courses of action regarding AI fraud." Other steps can also help protect your personal financial information and Social Security beneficiaries' monthly income, according to Talcove.

Persons: Courtney Keating, Joe Biden, Kathy Stokes, Stokes, A.I, Gail Ennis, Ennis, Haywood Talcove, Talcove, OIG, Mark Hinkle, Maria Freese, Freese, Boonchai, AARP's Stokes, It's Organizations: Social, Watch, Finance, Big, Social Security, Social Security Administration Office, LexisNexis, Social Security Administration, Solutions, Security, National Committee, Preserve Social Security, Getty Locations: Ennis

☆ Regulator says found no animal welfare breaches at Musk firm beyond 2019 incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Marisa Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

July 19 (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. agency responsible for animal welfare has told lawmakers that it did not find any violations of animal research rules at Elon Musk's Neuralink beyond a 2019 incident the brain implant company had already reported. The inspection included visits at Neuralink's two facilities in January 2023, Vilsack wrote, adding that there would be more inspections. Vilsack said in his letter his agency did not include in its inspection citations an "adverse surgical event" at Neuralink that occurred in August 2019. The company proactively reported it and took corrective action, which complied with the policy at the time, Vilsack added. The mistakes weakened the experiments' research value and required the tests to be repeated, leading to more animals being killed.

Persons: Thomas Vilsack, Earl Blumenauer, Vilsack, Musk, Neuralink, Blumenauer, Ryan Merkley, Marisa Taylot, Greg Roumeliotis, Robert Birsel Organizations: U.S, Elon Musk's, Department of Agriculture, Reuters, USDA, Physicians, Responsible Medicine, Neuralink, University of California, UC Davis, Drug Administration, FDA, Department of Transportation, Washington , D.C, Thomson Locations: Neuralink, Davis, Washington ,

Certain forms of identity theft, like synthetic identity theft or child identity theft, are harder to detect. You can also enroll in an identity theft protection service that can monitor the dark web for your information and provide identity theft insurance, usually up to $1 million. The best identity theft protection services will also provide you with personalized expert assistance if you experience more identity theft. While credit-related identity theft is more common, "identity theft can occur in other areas, including medical records, tax filings, social media accounts, employment history, and even criminal records," says Josh Amishav, founder and CEO of Breachsense, a data breach monitoring platform. Identity theft recovery frequently asked questionsCan you fully recover from identity theft?

Persons: you'll, David Burroughs, IdentityTheft.gov, You'll, Burroughs, you've, Equifax, Allen, Michael Bruemmer, haven't, Josh Amishav Organizations: FTC, Federal Trade Commission, Social, FBI, Social Security, Services, Social Security Administration Locations: AnnualCreditReport.com, Atlanta, Allen , TX, Chester ,

Tom Schroeder, the whistleblower accusing Medtronic of a kickback scheme, left, is interviewed by Morgan Brennan, in Kansas City, Missouri. Schroeder said rumors circulated that Medtronic sales representatives were bribing VA staff to purchase an excessive amount of the company's inventory. The veterans hospital purchased more devices than some of the largest veterans medical facilities, according to data the VA's investigation gathered. Medtronic also said that Schroeder has "admitted under oath that he has no firsthand knowledge of any problematic procedure involving Medtronic devices." Douglas Winger, one of the Medtronic sales representatives named as a defendant in Schroeder's lawsuit, won a Medtronic President's Club award in 2016 for his sales.

Persons: Tom Schroeder, Schroeder, Becton Dickinson, Medtronic, Morgan Brennan, Schroder, Boua Xiong, Robert J, texted, Rick Ament, Ament, filet mignon, …, I'm, Brendan Donelon, Donelon, CNBC Donelon, Xiong, Douglas Winger, Winger, Kim Hodgson, Hodgson, Dole, ProPublica, John Laird Organizations: Inc, CNBC, Dole Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dole VA, Department of Veterans Affairs, United, VA's, Department of Justice, Covidien, Dole, Medtronic, Society for Vascular, Drug Administration, FDA Locations: Kansas, United States, Kansas City , Missouri, Dublin, Ireland, Medtronic's, Wichita ., Dole, Covidien, Medtronic, Dole VA

☆ US watchdog to review FAA efforts to prevent runway incursions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - A U.S. government watchdog will review Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) efforts to prevent airport runway incursions after a series of incidents where airplanes came dangerously close to each other. The U.S. Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) said it was opening its audit to assess FAA processes for analyzing data, identifying risks and preventing and mitigating runway incursions. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating six runway incursion events since January including some near catastrophes. In March, the FAA said it was taking steps to improve air traffic control, convening a safety summit and issuing a safety alert. In April, it named an independent safety review team and in June announced $100 million for 12 airports to make improvements to taxiways and lighting to reduce runway incursions.

Persons: Jennifer Homendy, OIG, David Shepardson, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, U.S . Transportation Department, National Transportation Safety Board, OIG, FedEx, Southwest Airlines, Boeing, FedEx plane's, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Thomson Locations: Austin , Texas, Boston , Florida, New, JFK

☆ Federal investigators are sure no one strangled Jeffrey Epstein
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The DOJ's watchdog released a report detailing the circumstances leading up to Jeffrey Epstein's death. The report confirms that Epstein died by suicide and was not strangled, as some have speculated. The report, however, slams federal officials for failing to prevent Epstein's death. The report also appears to confirm that Epstein died by suicide and was not strangled, as some have speculated. Justice Department officials also interviewed staffers at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Epstein was awaiting trial before his death.

Persons: Jeffrey Epstein's, Epstein, —, SHU Organizations: Service, Justice, Metropolitan Correctional Center, SHU Locations: Manhattan

☆ DOJ issues scathing rebuke of Bureau of Prisons detailing multiple failures that led to Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The report indicated the Bureau of Prisons’ failings were troubling not only because they did not safeguard Epstein but also because they “led to numerous questions about the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death” and denied Epstein’s victims justice. Two guards on duty the night of Epstein’s death later admitted to falsifying records at the time. According to the initial indictment against the two guards, on the night of Epstein’s suicide, both individuals repeatedly failed to complete the required prisoners check during their watch. On the day before he was found dead in his prison cell, Epstein was also allowed by prison staff to make an unmonitored phone call, despite prison policy requiring all phone calls to be monitored. In August 2021, two years after Epstein’s death, the BOP announced it would close Metropolitan Correctional Center, citing the need to improve conditions in the facility.

Persons: Jeffrey Epstein, ”, Epstein, ” Epstein, OIG Organizations: CNN, Department’s Office, Prisons, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s, Metropolitan Correctional Center, Justice Department, Southern, of, MCC, FBI, Force, BOP, Correctional Center, Office Locations: New York, of New York

The membership of the panel at Musk’s company, Neuralink, raises questions about potential violations of conflict-of-interest regulations aimed at protecting research integrity, a dozen animal-research and bioethics experts told Reuters. Autumn Sorrells has chaired an oversight board approving animal experiments by Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, Neuralink, and also run the company’s animal care program. Reuters couldn’t determine the compensation terms of the Neuralink IACUC members who are also company employees. The independence of such boards, Nicolelis said, is critical to protecting the integrity of animal research that could impact humans in future clinical trials. These institutions generally prohibit people with direct financial interests from serving on IACUCs or voting on animal experiments.

☆ Fed says new refinements of trading process are coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Other Fed officials have also faced heat for their trading activities, including Powell and former Vice-Chairman Richard Clarida. Meanwhile, last year Atlanta Fed leader Raphael Bostic acknowledged some of his investment activity inadvertently happened at forbidden periods. The IG is still looking into the trading of regional Fed officials. The Fed formalized new rules that sharply restricted what Fed officials and senior staff can trade and when they can do it, and required pre-approval for trades as well in February of last year. But according to the report, some at the central bank viewed the process as burdensome and possibly even unnecessary.

☆ US Federal Reserve watchdog launches probe of SVB supervision
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has launched an independent review of the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), an OIG spokesperson said on Tuesday. The review, which was launched on March 14, will assess the board's and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's supervision of the failed lender, the spokesperson told Reuters in a statement. The independent oversight authority plans to complete its investigation within six months, the spokesperson added. The probe was reported earlier by Bloomberg News. Reporting by Rahat Sandhu in Bengaluru and Pete Schroeder; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fed’s self-scrutiny starts off on the wrong foot
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Banks with assets worth $100 billion or more face elaborate reviews, which involve a body called the Large and Foreign Banking Organization Management Group. Supervisors had previously noted, and reflected to the Fed group, which vets bank ratings, that SVB had made progress in tackling some of its weaknesses. The central bank doesn’t even acknowledge the existence of the LFBO Management Group on its public-facing website. Rather than just investigate itself, the Fed board could learn from the companies it regulates. SVB was part of the Fed’s “Large and Foreign Banking Organization” supervisory regime, which covers firms with more than $100 billion of assets.

☆ The Justice Department investigated Jeffrey Epstein's death. Then it went silent.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

Jeffrey Epstein's death in a federal jail was seen as a shocking Justice Department failure. But more than three years later, the office still hasn't released its report into the circumstances of Epstein's death. "We all took it by surprise," Mark Epstein told Insider. Barr tasked the Justice Department's inspector general, Michael Horowitz, and the FBI with investigating "the circumstances of Mr. Epstein's death." Mark Epstein told Insider that he spoke to his brother about once a month in the years before his death.

A deeper look at the company's billing practices revealed what appeared to be Medicare fraud, Pérez Aybar said. Fraud flourishesThat's just one of thousands of examples of how Medicare fraud is flourishing — not only in south Florida, but across the country. Taxpayers are losing more than $100 billion a year to Medicare and Medicaid fraud, according to estimates from the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association. This convicted felon says Medicare and Medicaid fraud is "very easy" to get away with. The same pills could be sold and resold multiple times with different phony patients, billing Medicare each time.

☆ US watchdog to audit Buttigieg government jet use
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - A U.S. government watchdog will audit Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's use of government airplanes for some trips as part of a broad review dating back to 2017. The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) will review 18 flights Buttigieg made on Federal Aviation Administration-operated (FAA) planes on seven total trips after a request by Republican Senator Marco Rubio. "Glad this will be reviewed independently so misleading narratives can be put to rest," Buttigieg wrote on Twitter. Elaine Chao served as Transportation secretary from 2017 through early 2021 under President Donald Trump. Rubio requested the review in December after Fox News reported on the flights and asked if any violations of Transportation Department policy were identified.

☆ Boeing's role in building NASA's new rocket
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

The mobile launcher with NASA's SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to Launch Complex 39B on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “I worked over 50 Space Shuttle launches,” Boeing SLS program manager John Shannon told CNN by phone. Though more than 1,000 companies were involved with designing and building SLS, Boeing’s work involved the largest and most expensive portion of the rocket. The SLS rocket ended up flying its first launch more than six years later than originally intended. All of the “major components” for a third SLS rocket are also completed, Shannon added.

☆ Lori Lightfoot's campaign investigated for trying to recruit Chicago public school students to help her win
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

CHICAGO — An explosive revelation is shaking up an already competitive mayor’s race here after incumbent Lori Lightfoot’s campaign sent an email to Chicago public school teachers — in a system she oversees — asking them to recruit students to volunteer on her campaign for school credit. Now, the Chicago Public Schools inspector general is investigating the matter, critics are calling for more extensive inquiries and her opponents are piling on. “CPS OIG has opened an investigation into this matter and we are currently gathering information to determine which, if any, policies have been violated,” the Chicago Public Schools Office of Inspector General confirmed to NBC News Thursday. The probe comes after a deputy campaign manager sent an email to public school teachers — over government email — asking them to recruit students to volunteer for Lightfoot’s campaign in an “externship program” where students could earn class credit. As mayor, Lightfoot directly oversees Chicago schools, appointing the superintendent and members of the board of education.

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