This is
the twentieth semiannual report to the Congress summarizing
the activities and accomplishments of the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation (PBGC) Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the
period October 1, 1998 through March 31, 1999. Our efforts were
directed toward performing audits, inspections, and evaluations
of the Corporation's programs and operations, conducting several
large and complex investigations, and providing technical assistance
and advice on Corporate programs. In the audit area, we issued
eight (8) reports, including an:
- audit
of PBGC's 1998 financial statements, which resulted in unqualified
opinions with respect to the financial statements and management's
assertion concerning the operation of financial management
controls (with three reportable conditions), and a report
on PBGC's compliance with laws and regulations;
- agreed-upon
procedures to evaluate PBGC's submission of certain data
to the Department of Treasury in preparation for consolidated
financial statements of the United States; and
- three
reports in response to questions asked by the Senate Special
Committee on Aging about PBGC's issuance of initial determination
letters
- the
efficiency and effectiveness of the benefit determination
process,
- the
length of time it has taken PBGC to issue IDLs, and
- the
impact of the delays upon participants.
In the
investigative area, we opened nineteen (19) new investigative
cases during the reporting period, and closed nine (9) cases.
Two of the cases closed this period involved:
- improper
assistance of an applicant for employment by the selecting
official; and
- harassing
Internet e-mail.
In addition,
we obtained an indictment of a pension plan participant who
defrauded PBGC, and assisted the Department of Justice (DOJ)
by investigating and analyzing certain allegations in a qui
tam action in which DOJ later determined not to intervene.
We revisited the agency's decision to conduct investigations
of an allegation that a waiver of spousal benefits is fraudulent.
PBGC agreed that when it receives an allegation from a pension
plan participant's spouse that he/she had not signed the waiver
of benefits form, that allegation will be referred to the
OIG for investigation.
more...
|
