jurisdiction: US

text: b'Peace Corps\nOffice of Inspector General\n\n\n\n\nSemiannual Report to Congress\nApril 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c PEACE CORPS\n OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL\n ORGANIZATIONAL CHART\n\n\n\n\n INSPECTOR GENERAL\n\n\n\n LEGAL COUNSEL\n EXECUTIVE MANAGER\n\n\n DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR\n EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT\n\n\n\n\nASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL\n EVALUATIONS INVESTIGATIONS AUDITS\n\n\n SENIOR EVALUATOR SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT TECHNICAL AUDIT MANAGER\n\n\n\n SENIOR EVALUATOR SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT SENIOR AUDITOR\n\n\n\n SENIOR EVALUATOR SPECIAL AGENT SENIOR AUDITOR\n\n\n\n SENIOR EVALUATOR SPECIAL AGENT AUDITOR\n\x0c PEACE CORPS\n\n Office of Inspector General\n\n Vision\n\nTo conduct audits, evaluations, and investigations that uphold the\neffectiveness, efficiency, and integrity of the agency in achieving the\ngoals set forth in the Peace Corps Act that Peace Corps Volunteers\nhelp the people of the countries in which they serve in meeting\ntheir needs for trained manpower, and in helping promote a better\nunderstanding of the American people on the part of the people\nserved, and a better understanding of other people on the part of the\nAmerican people.\n\n\n\n\n Semiannual Report to Congress\n April 1 \xe2\x80\x93 September 30, 2007\n\x0c\x0c TABLE OF CONTENTS\n\n\nt\tHighlights from this Report\t 1\n \tMessage from the Inspector General\t 1\n\n\t Management and Administration\t 4\n\t Agency Context\t 4\n\t OIG Staffing 4\n\n\t Advice and Assistance Provided to the Agency and Others 6\n\t Investigation of Fraud at Peace Corps/Niger 6\n\t Online Collaboration Tools 6\n\t Advice on Establishing Internal Controls 7\n\t Clarifications to Recruitment Catalog 7\n Revision of Manual Section Regarding Internal Controls 8\n\n Management and Performance Challenges\t 9\n\n\t Audits and Program Evaluations \t 13\n\t Overview\t 13\n Summary of Audits and Evaluations \t 14\n Peace Corps Fiscal Year 2007 Financial Statement Audit 14\n\t Review of the Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Federal Information Security Program\t 14\n\t Peace Corps/Cameroon\t 14\n\t Peace Corps/Jordan: Audit\t 15\n\t Peace Corps/Niger: Audit\t 16\n\t Peace Corps/Senegal: Audit\t 17\n\t Peace Corps/Thailand: Audit\t 18\n\t Peace Corps/Zambia: Audit\t 18\n\t Peace Corps/Honduras: Follow-up Audit \t 19\n\t Peace Corps/Panama: Follow-up Audit\t 19\n\t Safeguarding of Social Security Numbers: Follow-up Audit \t 20\n\t Peace Corps/Azerbaijan: Program Evaluation 20\n Peace Corps/Eastern Caribbean: Program Evaluation 21\n Peace Corps/Guinea: Program Evaluation 22\n\n Investigations \t 23\n\t Overview\t 23\n \xc2\xa0 Missing Peace Corps Volunteer Investigation 24\n Investigation of a Murder of a Volunteer \t 25\n\t Investigation into Abuse of Computer Usage\t 26\n OIG Investigations of Federal Employees\xe2\x80\x99 Compensation Act Recipients \t 27\n\nctor General Act \t 45\n\x0cViolent Crimes Against Volunteers 29\nClosed Cases of Violent Crime Against Volunteers \t 30\nActive Investigations of Violent Crime Cases \t 31\nTitle 18 Criminal and Other Investigations Conducted\t 34\nInvestigations Leading to Disposition\t 34\nActive Investigations\t 35\n\nTABLE 1: List of Reports : Audits, Evaluations, and Inspections\t 37\nTABLE 2: Reports Issued with Questioned Costs or Funds Put to Better Use \t 38\nTABLE 3: Status of Reports Issued by OIG with Costs Questioned \t 39\nTABLE 4: Status of Reports Issued by OIG with Funds Put to Better Use \t 40\nTABLE 5: Reports with Recommendations on which Corrective \t\n Action has not been completed \t 41\nTABLE 6: Summary of Investigative Activity \t 42\nTABLE 7: Summary of Hotline and Other Complaints\t 43\nTABLE 8: References to Reporting Requirements of the Inspector General Act\t 44\nthe Inspector General Act \t 36\n\x0cHighlights from this Report\n\n Message from the Inspector General\n\n I am proud to present this Semiannual Report on the\n activities and accomplishments of the Peace Corps\n Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the period of\n April 1, 2007 through September 30, 2007. The audits,\n evaluations, and investigations described in this report\n demonstrate the continued commitment of the Peace\n Corps OIG to promote and increase efficiencies in the\n Peace Corps.\n\n During this reporting period, on July 25, 2007, I\n had occasion to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations\n (Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps and Narcotics Affairs)\n regarding S. 732, the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act. The Peace\n Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act, inter alia, suggests a variety of changes and\n improvements to the Peace Corps Medical Clearance System in an attempt to create\n more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process that the Peace Corps\n utilizes to medically clear prospective Volunteers for service.\n\n In my testimony, I noted that the OIG was undertaking a comprehensive eight-\n month study of the Peace Corps Medical Clearance System and shared several of\n the preliminary findings. This study is the first of its kind, and also marks the first\n time that the Peace Corps has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB)\n approval to reach out to a subsection of the general public, former applicants who\n entered the Medical Screening Process but did not become Peace Corps Volunteers,\n to survey them about their experiences.\n\n One of the goals of our study is to determine whether frustrations with the Medical\n Clearance System have become a barrier to service in the Peace Corps or have\n otherwise contributed to applicants\xe2\x80\x99 decision to discontinue their Peace Corps\n applications. As I stated in testimony before the Committee, our preliminary\n findings indicate that there are several aspects of the Peace Corps Medical Clearance\n System that can be enhanced, such as in the areas of quality improvement, the\n instructions and guidance given to prospective applicants, customer service, levels of\n reimbursement to applicants for medical costs as well as technological resources that\n may be implemented to streamline the Medical Clearance System. These findings\n are even more critical in light of Peace Corps Director Ronald Tschetter\xe2\x80\x99s \xe2\x80\x9c50 plus\xe2\x80\x9d\n initiative that encourages individuals over the age of 50 years to apply for Peace\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General \x18\n\x0cCorps service. We have preliminarily found that applicants 50 years of age and older\ntake longer and cost significantly more to screen than applicants under 50 years of\nage.\n\nWe applaud the Committee\xe2\x80\x99s interest in the Peace Corps and believe there are several\nprovisions in the proposed Volunteer Empowerment Act (S. 732) which will enhance\nthe operations of the Peace Corps and the medical clearance process. We plan to\nfinalize our Medical Clearance System study early in the next reporting period and\ncontinue to provide feedback to the Committee with respect to our findings and\nsuggestions.\n\nA second comprehensive study that our office is working on involves an evaluation\nof the overall safety and security procedures that are in place in the Agency. After\ntrips to 17 overseas posts and hundreds of interviews, our evaluators are finalizing an\nanalysis of whether: (a) adequate safety and security information is being provided to\nPeace Corps Volunteers; (b) the Peace Corps has provided Volunteers with adequate\nand relevant training on safety and security; (c) Volunteers have been placed in\nsites that are inspected and monitored appropriately; (d) there have been accurate\nreporting of violent and other crimes; and (e) the Agency has adequately planned\nfor emergencies at overseas posts. This study is in the final stages and should be\npresented to the Agency and Congressional officials during the beginning of the next\nreporting period.\n\nIn addition to considerable work on these two overarching and comprehensive\nstudies, during this reporting period, OIG evaluators completed program evaluations\nat Peace Corps posts in Azerbaijan, Eastern Caribbean, and Guinea.\n\nThere have also been significant developments and initiatives on the investigative side\nduring this reporting period. We continued to achieve tangible gains in our Federal\nEmployees\xe2\x80\x99 Compensation Act (FECA) investigative work, uncovering further\nexamples of abuse in the system. During the reporting period, our investigators\nfound evidence of overpayments, unauthorized family members illegally receiving\ndeath benefits, and unreported income.\n\nIn the area of the violent crime coordination, during the reporting period, the OIG\xe2\x80\x99s\ninvestigative unit achieved numerous successes in obtaining convictions in rape and\nsexual assault cases such as a 10-year conviction for a rapist in Bolivia and a four-year\nconviction for an attempted rape in Paraguay. In addition, in September 2007, I led\na 28-person team consisting of eight specially trained National Park Service Search\nand Rescue personnel, four dog handlers and four cadaver dogs, a veterinarian,\nfour OIG agents, a Bolivian search and rescue team, personnel from the the United\nStates Embassy Regional Security Office, Bolivian National Police, Federal Bureau of\nInvestigation officials, and other personnel on a search mission to locate a Volunteer\nthat has been missing for several years.\n\n\n \x18 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cThis extraordinary effort amid very difficult weather conditions and treacherous\nterrain involved the meticulous search of a targeted five-mile square area in the\nZongo Valley of Bolivia. This targeted area was designated as the area with the\nhighest probability of a successful search effort after a several month re-investigation\nof the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s disappearance, which included the analyzing of hundreds of pages\nof newly located documents and the re-interviewing of local citizens in Bolivia by\nOIG investigators with the assistance of expert search managers from the National\nPark Service.\n\nThis was also a very busy and successful reporting period for our audit unit. OIG\nauditors completed audits of Peace Corps posts in Cameroon, Jordan, Niger, Senegal,\nThailand, and Zambia and follow-up audits in Honduras, Panama, and at Peace\nCorps headquarters on the Safeguarding of Social Security Numbers. Our auditors\ncontinued their critical work in connection with the financial audit by assisting the\nAgency in improving the overall financial health of the Peace Corps in accordance\nwith the requirements of the Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act and Federal\nFinancial Management Improvement Act.\xc2\xa0\n\nDuring the next reporting period, we will continue our commitment to work\nwith the Peace Corps to address its management challenges and to ensure the\nefficiency, effectiveness and integrity of agency operations. We take pride in our past\naccomplishments and anticipate future achievements of even greater significance.\n\n\n\n\n H. David Kotz\n Inspector General\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General \x18\n\x0cManagement and Administration\n\n Agency Context\n\n At the end of FY 2007, 8,079 Peace Corps Volunteers and Trainees were serving in\n 74 countries at 68 posts. This total includes: 184 Volunteers and Trainees funded\n by the President\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) working on HIV/\n AIDS projects in nine countries and 33 Crisis Corps Volunteers serving in short-\n term assignments in 10 countries. Eleven Crisis Corps Volunteers were funded by\n PEPFAR.\n\n The Volunteers and their programs are supported by 895 American direct hire\n staff: 194 overseas; 123 in the regional recruiting offices; and the remaining 578 in\n headquarters. Approximately 2,000 locally hired personnel complete post staffing.\n The Peace Corps also has corporate contracts domestically and overseas, principally\n for guard services and training, and hires expert consultants, largely for training and\n financial management.\n\n OIG Staffing\n\n During the reporting period, several long-time members of our office retired or left\n the Peace Corps. On August 31, 2007, Alice Bunker, Assistant Inspector General\n for Evaluations, retired after more than 10 years of federal service, all with the Peace\n Corps. Her positive impact on the Agency and the OIG will be felt for years to come.\n J. David Zielinski, the OIG Legal Counsel and former Assistant Inspector General for\n Investigations, retired on September 15, 2007 after four years of illustrious service.\n One of our senior evaluators, Carlos Torres also left the Peace Corps after five years of\n distinguished service with the Office of Inspector General.\n\n The OIG has moved quickly to fill these vacant positions and expects to have staff\n onboard shortly.\n\n The OIG also brought on board in June 2007 as an expert consultant, Jeffrey Lee,\n to assist with a variety of audit-related matters, including the Fiscal Year 2007\n Financial Statement Audit. Mr. Lee has over 32 years of federal service. He began his\n professional career as an evaluator with the Government Accountability Office (GAO)\n where he was assigned to GAO\xe2\x80\x99s headquarters and later their Far East Branch office\n in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also served as an audit manager with the Air Force Audit\n Agency. He finished his federal career as a project manager with the Department of\n Defense Office of Inspector General (DOD/OIG). During his time in federal service,\n he managed and directed diverse performance and financial audits and other projects\n related to improving government performance. He is a recipient of Vice President\n Gore\xe2\x80\x99s National Performance Review \xe2\x80\x9cHammer\xe2\x80\x9d Award and the American Society of\n Military Comptrollers\xe2\x80\x99 Team Achievement Award for his work in overhauling DOD\xe2\x80\x99s\n\n \x18 Semiannual Report to Congress October 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007\n\x0ctravel process. After retiring from federal service, Mr. Lee worked as a manager at the\naccounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers where he managed major segments of\nfederal audit engagements and assisted with other consulting services. Mr. Lee has a\nB.S. degree in Business Administration from Lake Superior State University and is a\nCertified Internal Auditor and a Certified Defense Financial Auditor.\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General \x18\n\x0cAdvice and Assistance Provided\n to the Agency and Others\n During this reporting period, we provided advice to management on a number\n of serious issues that were brought to our attention. This advice was conveyed in\n written form and through briefings and meetings with the Director of the Agency\n and other senior-level Peace Corps officials.\n\n Investigation of Fraud at Peace Corps/Niger\n\n In May 2007, we investigated a reported theft of approximately $22,000 in cash\n taken from the Peace Corps/Niger cashier\xe2\x80\x99s safe. The OIG assigned an auditor\n and an investigator to respond to the reported incident. The theft was noticed by\n Peace Corps/Niger staff after the cashier did not report to work and could not be\n reached. The investigation was conducted on-site at the Peace Corps/Niger post.\n Our investigation confirmed that approximately $4,400 was taken from the cashier\xe2\x80\x99s\n safe and an additional $39,246 was embezzled from the post\xe2\x80\x99s imprest fund through\n various methods over a 40-month period. The former Peace Corps/Niger cashier is\n being sought for the crime.\n\n The investigation disclosed that a significant contributing factor to the cause of\n the embezzlement was lack of effective supervision. The perpetrator was allowed\n to circumvent internal controls in place by ignoring Peace Corps policies and\n procedures related to imprest fund management and operations. During the time of\n the incident\xe2\x80\x99s occurrence, the cashier\xe2\x80\x99s supervisor was cited for poor performance and\n placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). The supervisor was eventually\n removed from the position for failing to meet minimum performance standards.\n However, the removal was not timely because a second PIP had to be initiated after it\n was determined that the first one had not been adequately administered. Both PIPs\n were administered over an approximate 11-month period.\n\n We recommended that Peace Corps management take immediate corrective actions,\n including ensuring that there is: (a) effective supervision over cashier operations; (b)\n strong internal controls in place; and (c) full compliance with Peace Corps and other\n applicable policies and procedures.\n\n Online Collaboration Tools\n\n We issued a memorandum to call management\xe2\x80\x99s attention to significant\n vulnerabilities that exist with respect to the lack of internal controls in connection\n with two online collaboration tools that the Peace Corps intends to deploy.\n\n We stated our concerns about the Agency going forward with deployment of these\n tools before ensuring that appropriate controls are put into place. We also related\n\n\n \x18 Semiannual Report to Congress October 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007\n\x0cour concerns about the possible duplication of efforts with respect to these tools with very\nsimilar objectives and users.\n\nWe also expressed our concern that both tools rely principally upon \xe2\x80\x9cself-policing.\xe2\x80\x9d We\nwere informed that regional management has also raised questions about how content will\nbe monitored in both tools, for, in particular, non-project-focused entries, and inaccuracies.\n\nWe articulated our concerns about the lack of internal content controls currently in place\nfor each system, particularly as they relate to potential Volunteer use and recommended\nthat meaningful, reliable and substantive mechanisms of content control and review be\nestablished prior to deployment of these systems.\n\n Advice on Establishing Internal Controls\n\nIn August 2007, we were notified by Peace Corps/Burkina Faso of suspicious charges for\nfuel purchases. The post uses fuel charge cards to purchase fuel for Peace Corps vehicles.\nEach vehicle has an oil company fuel charge card assigned to it. Anytime a vehicle needed\nto be fueled, an employee took the fuel charge card to a specified gas station and the card\nwas used like a credit card to purchase fuel without cash. The post identified numerous\nfraudulent charges and requested assistance in investigating the fraudulent charges and\nadvice on implementing controls to prevent further fraudulent charges. We assisted in\nthe investigation and recommended improvements in internal controls to prevent further\nfraudulent activities. These controls included:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Canceling fuel cards used for fraudulent activity.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Eliminating free access to the fuel cards by unauthorized personnel.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Requiring employees to sign for the card each time they use it, to strengthen individual\n accountability.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Closer monitoring of fuel card activities.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Improved recordkeeping on fuel use.\n\nThe post has taken steps to implement our recommendations. The investigation is\ncontinuing and two suspects have been identified.\n\n Clarifications to Recruitment Catalog\n\nIn September 2006, the Director of Peace Corps announced the creation of a Volunteer\nDelivery Steering (VDS) committee to improve the process by which Peace Corps recruits,\nscreens, places and prepares potential candidates for Peace Corps service. In May and\nJune 2007, the Office of Communications and the VDS committee convened to discuss\nhow to improve the Peace Corps Recruitment Catalog in order to better communicate\nthe application process to potential candidates and to better prepare potential candidates\nfor the realities of life as a Peace Corps Volunteer. During this period, the OIG was\nconducting a program review of the Peace Corps Medical Clearance System and had\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General \x18\n\x0cidentified inconsistencies between how parts of the Medical Clearance System were\ndescribed online and in the Peace Corps Medical Kit (a set of instructions and\nmedical screening examination forms sent to applicants) and how they were described\nin the Peace Corps Recruitment Catalog. We were made aware of the project to\nimprove the Recruitment Catalog and shared our observations with the Recruitment\nCatalog working group to ensure that the inconsistencies in messaging between\ndifferent Peace Corps publications did not persist. The working group incorporated\nthe OIG\xe2\x80\x99s suggested improvements into the new Recruitment Catalog which was\npublished in October of 2007 and will be distributed to Peace Corps applicants\nstarting in November 2007.\nOIG Advice on Revision of Manual Section Regarding Internal Controls\n\nThe OIG audit team reviewed and provided suggestions to the Office of the Chief\nFinancial Officer during its revision of the Peace Corps Manual Section regarding\ninternal controls established to ensure effective and efficient operations, reliable\nfinancial reporting, compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and the\nsafeguarding of assets.\n\nBased upon their extensive post auditing experiences, the OIG audit team provided\nsubstantive suggestions regarding appropriate definitions of critical terms, elaboration\nof internal control procedures as well as the roles and responsibilities of various senior\nstaff members in the preparation of risk assessments and the continuous monitoring\nand improving of the effectiveness of the internal controls put into place.\n\n\n\n\n \x18 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cThe Inspector General\xe2\x80\x99s Statement on the Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99\n Management and Performance Challenges\n\n\n As required by the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 and Office of Management\n and Budget guidance, I am pleased to submit the following summarizing what I\n consider to be the most serious management challenges facing the Peace Corps. This\n statement has been compiled based on Office of Inspector General (OIG) audits,\n investigations, evaluations, and the general knowledge of the agency\xe2\x80\x99s operations.\n\n\n Challenge\t\t Safety and Security of Peace Corps \t\t\t\n \t\t\t Volunteers\n\n Violent crime against Volunteers continues to be a management challenge. We\n are preparing a comprehensive report on our evaluation of the major components\n of Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 safety and security strategy. The report will discuss the agency\xe2\x80\x99s\n progress in ensuring that the Volunteers are working and living in a safe and secure\n environment and make recommendations for improving safety and security. Our\n work in this area has disclosed that the agency\xe2\x80\x99s crime statistics have an unacceptably\n high error rate and that the agency\xe2\x80\x99s safety and security training for Volunteers is\n based upon these inaccurate figures. In addition, all Country Welcome Books that\n are sent to prospective Volunteers reviewed by the OIG included outdated and\n incorrect data and information. Finally, we have some concerns about the efficacy of\n the posts\xe2\x80\x99 Emergency Action Plan tests.\n\n\n Challenge\t\t Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 Medical Clearance System\n\n Several aspects of the agency\xe2\x80\x99s Medical Clearance System (MCS), including the\n length of the process, the lack of transparency and communication, and insufficient\n reimbursement costs present significant management challenges to the Peace Corps.\n Furthermore, the Director\xe2\x80\x99s initiative to recruit a greater number of Volunteers in\n the 50+ age range will place an increased burden on the capacity of the Volunteer\n Delivery System (VDS) in general and the MCS in particular.\n\n The OIG is currently conducting an evaluation of the Medical Clearance System.\n The MCS evaluation will make recommendations on the following specific areas:\n screening review systems and procedures; the screening review timeframe and\n costs; medical screening guidelines, communicated guidance, system transparency,\n interoffice communication and customer service; staff training; and the\n reimbursement fee schedule. In the next fiscal year it will be critical for the agency to\n allocate the financial and technical resources that enable its Office of Medical Services\n to implement recommendations for needed improvements that are key to ensuring\n the success of the 50+ initiative and the overall VDS program.\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General \x18\n\x0cChallenge\t\t Information Technology Management\n\nManagement has made improvements in strengthening the Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 information\ntechnology architecture and security management. However, several issues related\nto information security and risk management of system architecture remain a\nmanagement challenge. The most significant issues follow:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Eleven of 12 of the agency\xe2\x80\x99s information systems have not received final \t\n certifications and accreditations indicating that they are acceptable to use.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Processes for systems development life cycle and change management have not\n been fully or consistently implemented.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Although significant progress has been made, some systems\xe2\x80\x99 contingency plans\n need to be further tested and refined to ensure full recovery following a major\n disruption of service.\n\nIn addition, the agency is planning to deploy two on-line collaboration tools\nwithout the appropriate and necessary internal controls in place to limit the agency\xe2\x80\x99s\nvulnerabilities.\n\n\nChallenge\t\t Performance Management and Disciplinary \t\n\t\t\t Actions\n\nA broad management challenge that exists within the agency involves the reluctance\nof management to undertake the necessary disciplinary actions against employees\nwhere there is evidence of unsatisfactory performance and/or inappropriate conduct.\n\nIn the past fiscal year, the OIG investigative unit brought five cases of criminal\nconflict-of-interest on the part of Peace Corps staff members, including country\ndirectors, and additional cases involving allegations of improper transfer of\nGovernment property, falsification of official Government forms and violations of\nPeace Corps rules and regulations on the part of both staff members and Volunteers\nto management\xe2\x80\x99s attention. Notwithstanding these findings, agency management\nhas been often unwilling to impose disciplinary actions, deciding in these cases to\ntake either no action or engage in a settlement with the offending party in which the\nagency agrees to expunge any adverse documentation from the employee\xe2\x80\x99s personnel\nfile.\n\nIn addition, failures on the part of Peace Corps posts to follow-up appropriately with\nemployees who had significant performance deficiencies has led to significant losses\nand mismanagement of agency resources.\n\n\n\n 10 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cThe Office of Inspector General has engaged in discussions with senior-level officials\nat the Peace Corps, including the Director and Chief of Staff about the above, and\nPeace Corps management has stated that it is committed to taking the appropriate\nsteps to rectify this challenge in the future.\n\n\n\nChallenge\t\t Financial Management\n\nFinancial management and compilation of accurate and complete financial\nstatements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles continues to\nbe a management challenge. A qualified opinion was received on the balance sheet\nfor FY 2006 and further improvements in financial reporting have been achieved this\nyear.\n\n\n\nChallenge\t\t Post Imprest Fund Management and Other \t\t\n \t Cashier Operations\n\nPeace Corps manages cash accounts maintained as imprest funds in 68 posts in\nthe countries served by the Peace Corps. The value of funds flowing through the\nimprest fund was approximately $21 million during FY 2007. The fund\xe2\x80\x99s purpose\nis to manage the numerous day-to-day business activities carried on at Peace Corps\nposts. Incidents of imprest fund-related embezzlement and theft leading to cash\nlosses continue to be a management challenge. Significant losses have resulted from\nineffective oversight and internal control over the imprest fund and other cashier\noperations. We are currently investigating two cases involving an armed robbery\nand embezzlement of money associated with the imprest fund and other cashier\noperations. Resulting estimated losses were over $85,000. Our auditors have also\nnoted problems involving management of the imprest fund in nearly every audit of\na Peace Corps post that they have conducted within the past fiscal year. This area\nrequires increased management focus in improving policies, procedures, supervisory\noversight, and internal control at the overseas posts.\n\n\n\nChallenge\t\t Managing Resources from Other Agencies:\n\t\t\t The President\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Plan for AIDS \t\t\n\t\t\t Relief\n\nAccountability for Federal funds provided to the Peace Corps through the President\xe2\x80\x99s\nEmergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is a significant management challenge.\nThis funding is managed by the State Department Global Aids Coordinator and is\nspecifically limited to support AIDS-related programs. Greater emphasis on program\nguidance is critical to effectively managing the funds and ensuring the funds are\ndelivered as legislatively intended.\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 11\n\x0cThe OIG intends to conduct a comprehensive combined audit and evaluation of\nthe agency\xe2\x80\x99s PEPFAR program in the coming fiscal year to assess how the agency is\ndealing with this challenge.\n\n\nChallenge\t\t Support for Volunteers Working in HIV/AIDS\t\n\t\t\t Projects\n\nWhile the agency has begun to take steps to increase the amount and quality\nof support to Volunteers working in HIV-prevalent countries, the challenge to\nmanagement remains to mobilize resources sufficient to the task. To date, the burden\nof responding to Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 mental health needs has fallen largely on the Peace\nCorps Medical Officers at post and the staff in the Office of Special Services, who\nprovide mental health counseling to Volunteers. The Office of Special Services, in\nconjunction with the Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research, has also\nprovided training to staff and Volunteers on special issues. However, the effort to\nsupport Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 mental health needs should be multi-faceted and agency-wide.\nAccording to the 2006 Peace Corps Volunteer Survey, when asked to rate factors\nthat create stress or emotional health issues, 24 percent of the Volunteers rated their\nprimary work assignments as considerably to exceptionally problematic and 30\npercent rated their work assignments as moderately stressful.\n\n\n\n\n 12 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cAudits and Program Evaluations\n\n Overview\n The Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 OIG focuses principally on the programs, financial and\n administrative operations, and staff support that sustain Peace Corps Volunteers\n serving around the world. We accomplish this through audits and evaluations of\n the agency\xe2\x80\x99s posts overseas and its functions in headquarters and domestic recruiting\n offices.\n\n Both individual staff members and multi-disciplined teams carry out these reviews.\n For some highly technical audits, we also contract with firms and individual experts.\n\n Audits examine operations and financial transactions to ensure that good\n management practices are being followed and that resources are adequately protected\n in accordance with laws and regulations. Our audits are conducted in accordance\n with generally accepted government auditing standards issued by the Comptroller\n General of the United States.\n\n Most of our audits focus on the operations and management of Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 overseas\n posts, which include a review of financial and administrative practices and the safety\n and security of persons and property. We also conduct audits of specific headquarters\n and regional activities, as well as contract and follow-up audits, as needed. In\n addition, the Accountability of Tax Dollars Act provides the OIG with the\n responsibility for the annual audit of Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 financial statements. Furthermore,\n the Federal Information Security Management Act specifies that the OIG annually\n review the information security program of the agency, which is part of our auditors\xe2\x80\x99\n responsibilities.\n\n Program Evaluations review the operation and administration of a specific unit of\n the Peace Corps or may involve a limited review of a particular problem, issue, or\n function.\n\n Most evaluations are of overseas posts and provide management with a\n comprehensive assessment of how overseas programs are functioning. This includes\n a review of the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 sites and assignments, their safety and security, the quality\n of their training, the quality of the support provided to them, and the adequacy of\n the post\xe2\x80\x99s administrative infrastructure to manage the program. Evaluations focus\n particularly on the effectiveness, satisfaction, and well-being of the Volunteers,\n including their housing, health care, and safety. Evaluators interview a representative\n sample of 20% or more of the Volunteers at their sites, and interview appropriate\n Peace Corps staff and some of the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 co-workers and supervisors.\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 13\n\x0c Summary of Audits and Evaluations\n\n Peace Corps Fiscal Year 2007 Financial Statement Audit\n\nDuring this reporting period, we exercised our contract option with an independent\npublic accounting firm to conduct the audit of the Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 fiscal year 2007\nfinancial statements. This audit is required by the Accountability of Tax Dollars Act\nof 2002. At this time, the audit is ongoing. We intend to issue the audit report by\nthe mandated reporting date of November\xc2\xa015,\xc2\xa02007, as established by the Office of\nManagement and Budget (OMB). Details on this audit will be included in the next\nSemiannual Report.\n\n Review of the Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Federal Information Security Program\n\nThe Federal Information Security Act (FISMA) requires Federal agencies to\nestablish security protections and a program to secure its information systems from\nunauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification and other harmful impacts. This\nis governed through specific guidelines established by the National Institute of\nStandards and Technology. In addition, FISMA requires the OIG to review their\nagency\xe2\x80\x99s security program annually. OMB is mandated to report to Congress on\nthe overall progress made by Federal agencies. To meet this mandate, OMB has\ndeveloped a data collection process which combines reporting from each Federal\nagency and their respective OIGs to measure the progress of developing and\ninstitutionalizing the agency\xe2\x80\x99s security program. OMB submission is due annually\non October 1. Preliminary results of the review of the security program indicate that\nthe agency has made progress in becoming fully compliant with FISMA. Comments\non final review results will be covered in the next Semiannual Report.\n\nIn March 2007, as an extension of the FISMA review effort, the OIG engaged a\ncontractor to perform a privacy and vulnerability assessment of the Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99\nexternal website and intranet site. The assessment disclosed six areas of concern and\nproposed recommendations for corrective action. We are currently facilitating the\nprocess of audit resolution with Peace Corps management. Once implemented, these\ncorrective actions will improve overall security and minimize vulnerabilities associated\nwith the agency\xe2\x80\x99s external website and intranet site.\n\n Peace Corps/Cameroon: Audit\n\nWe conducted an audit of Peace Corps/Cameroon January 8 - 26, 2007. The\nPeace Corps began its program in Cameroon in 1962. At the time of our visit, 102\nVolunteers were working in four project areas: education, health, agroforestry, and\nsmall enterprise development. At the time of our audit, the country director was\ncompleting his five year tour of duty. The new country director arrived at the post in\nearly February 2007.\n\n\n 14 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cOur audit disclosed that Peace Corps/Cameroon\xe2\x80\x99s financial and administrative\noperations and its compliance with the agency\xe2\x80\x99s policies and procedures and federal\nregulations required improvement. Some of the more significant findings are\nsummarized below:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Policies and procedures related to operation and management of the imprest fund\n were not being followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Recording of billing and collection transactions was not in accordance with\n policies and procedures and related records were not adequately monitored by\n post management to ensure accuracy and timely collections.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Volunteer settling-in surveys were not always performed and termination\n notifications related to Volunteer tour completions were not sent to Peace Corps\n headquarters in a timely manner.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Safeguarding of Volunteer personal data was deficient.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Accountability over funds related to operation of the Volunteer hostel was\n lacking.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Duties related to inventorying of Peace Corps property were not properly\n segregated and the inventory records were inaccurate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t An inventory of medical supplies was not maintained as mandated by policy.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Policies and procedures related to vehicle use and associated recordkeeping were\n not being followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Timely submission of travel vouchers was not being accomplished and in-country\n per diem rates were out of date.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Policies and procedures related to approval for two leases were not being\n followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Maintenance of contract files was inadequate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Timely payment to personal services contractors was not being accomplished.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Control over staff time and attendance was inadequate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Documentation for IT security training was deficient.\n\nManagement concurred with 57 of 60 recommendations and did not concur with\nthree recommendations. At the end of the reporting period, 56 recommendations\nare closed and four remain open.\n\n Peace Corps/Jordan: Audit\n\nWe conducted an audit of Peace Corps/Jordan May 6 - 24, 2007. Over 300\nVolunteers have served in Jordan since Peace Corps/Jordan began its program in\n1997. The program was suspended in November 2002 and resumed with the arrival\nof Volunteers in February 2004. Volunteers currently work in three project areas:\nEnglish education, special education, and youth development.\n\nOur audit disclosed that Peace Corps/Jordan\xe2\x80\x99s financial and administrative operations\nrequired improvement. Some of the more significant findings are summarized below:\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 15\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2\t Imprest fund policy on funding ceilings and use of the emergency payment\n process was not followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Required settling-in Volunteer allowance surveys were not being performed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Some policies and procedures on managing billings and collections were not\n followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t The government purchase card was not being utilized.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Record management of contract files was inadequate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Internal controls related to vehicle use were breached.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t The travel authorization and voucher process was not being managed in\n accordance with Peace Corps and federal travel guidance.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Policies and procedures related to time and attendance practices and records\n maintenance were not being followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Inventory of medical supplies was inaccurate and not maintained in accordance\n with policy.\n\nManagement concurred with all 31 recommendations. At the end of the reporting\nperiod, 30 recommendations are closed and one remains open.\n\n Peace Corps/Niger: Audit\n\nWe conducted an audit of Peace Corps/Niger October 25 - November 10, 2006.\nThe Peace Corps began its program in Niger in 1962 with seven Volunteers teaching\nEnglish as a foreign language. At the time of our visit, there were 90 Volunteers\nworking in Niger. Peace Corps/Niger\xe2\x80\x99s current project areas are natural resources\nmanagement, health, agriculture, community and youth education, and community\ndevelopment.\n\nWe found that several of the post\xe2\x80\x99s financial and administrative operations were not\nfunctioning effectively and did not comply with Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 policies, procedures,\nand other applicable guidance. Some of the more significant findings are summarized\nbelow:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Funds were being diverted from Volunteer allowance checks for other purposes,\n accountability over the diverted funds was inadequate, and surveys of the\n allowance activity were not being conducted.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Billings and collections activities were not being conducted in accordance with\n Peace Corps policies and procedures.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Interim advances were not being cleared promptly or before a staff person\n received additional advances.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Alternate cashier and sub-cashier advances were not in balance and accountability\n over advances to sub-cashiers was inadequate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Policy on the administration of Volunteer grant funds was not being followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Policies and procedures on the use and cost accounting for post vehicles were not\n being followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Lease agreements were inaccurate and did not include essential information.\n\n\n 16 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2\t Personal services contractor files did not contain required information in\n accordance with Peace Corps policy.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Government purchase card users did not obtain pre-approvals or obligate funds\n prior to using the card.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Timekeeping records for compensation time were not adequately maintained and\n related policy was lacking.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Receipting for accountable property was inadequate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Documentation on computer use was not being executed in accordance with\n policy.\n\nManagement concurred with all 57 recommendations. At the end of the reporting\nperiod, 37 recommendations are closed and 20 remain open.\n\n Peace Corps/Senegal: Audit\n\nWe conducted an audit of Peace Corps/Senegal October 25 - November 10, 2006.\nThe Peace Corps began its program in Senegal in 1963. More than 130 Volunteers\ncurrently serve in Senegal in four project areas: health education, agricultural,\nbusiness development, and environmental technology.\n\nThe post has made progress since our last visit in 2001. In general, the post\xe2\x80\x99s\nfinancial and administrative operations were functioning effectively and complied\nwith Peace Corps policies and federal regulations. However, we did find certain areas\nin need of improvement. Some of the more significant findings are summarized\nbelow:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Volunteer termination notifications related to tour completion were not being\n sent to Peace Corps headquarters in a timely manner.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Resolution of outstanding debts was not timely.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Some policies and procedures related to the operation and management of the\n imprest fund were not being followed, impacting on the overall effectiveness of\n internal controls.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Management of host country contributions was not in accordance with policy.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Inventories were not accurate and complete.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Policies and procedures related to recordkeeping on vehicle use and maintenance\n were not being followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t The policy on an award of a lease was not followed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Personal services contractor files were not maintained in accordance with policy.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Purchases made with the government purchase card were not always approved or\n obligated in advance as required by policy.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Accountability for Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 property was inadequate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t Records were not maintained on compensation time earned or used.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\t International Cooperative Administrative Support Services outside the pre-\n approved list were used without obtaining the required waivers.\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 17\n\x0cManagement concurred with 18 of 21 recommendations. Two recommendations\nwere partially concurred with, and management did not concur with one\nrecommendation. At the end of the reporting period, three recommendations are\nclosed and 18 remain open.\n\n Peace CorpsThailand: Audit\n\nWe conducted an audit of Peace Corps/Thailand May 8 - 24, 2007. The Peace\nCorps began its program in Thailand in 1962. At the time of our visit, there were\n106 Volunteers working in education and community development. This post is\nalso used as a regional site for Volunteer/staff medical evacuations and Peace Corps\nconferences. Additionally, the post provides administrative support to the regional\nPeace Corps Safety and Security Officer located in Thailand. In recent years, the\npost received emergency funding and hosted Crisis Corps Volunteers in support of\ntsunami recovery activities.\n\nOur audit found that generally the post\xe2\x80\x99s financial and administrative functions were\noperating effectively and efficiently. However, as summarized below, we noted some\nproblems in selected administrative areas:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Recording of billing and collection transactions and issuance of receipts for \t\t\n payments were not in accordance with policies and procedures.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Segregation of duties for receipting and issuing property was lacking and there\n was an internal control gap resulting from insufficient Peace Corps guidance.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Physical security over medical supplies was generally inadequate and the required\n periodic inventories of controlled substances were not being performed.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Peace Corps policies and procedures on vehicle management were insufficient,\n and in some cases, conflicting.\n\nManagement concurred with 12 recommendations and partially concurred with\ntwo of the 14 recommendations made. At the end of the reporting period, 10\nrecommendations are closed and four remain open.\n\n Peace Corps/Zambia: Audit\n\nWe conducted a partial audit of Peace Corps/Zambia September 8 \xe2\x80\x93 15, 2006 during\nour visit to perform a follow-up audit at the post. Coverage was limited to items that\nwere previously not included in the audit scope during our August 2005 visit.\n\nA country agreement inviting the Peace Corps to work in Zambia was signed by the\nUnited States and Zambia on September 14, 1993. The first group of Volunteers was\nsworn in on April 7, 1994. At the time of our visit, approximately 160 Volunteers\nwere promoting sustainable development through activities in agricultural and\nnatural resource management, health and sanitation, education, and humanitarian\nassistance.\n\n 18 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cPeace Corps/Zambia\xe2\x80\x99s financial and administrative operations, in general, were not\nroutinely complying with established internal controls. A contributing factor to this\ncondition was related to a lack of post administrative personnel at the time of our\naudit. Some of the more significant findings are summarized below:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Imprest fund policies and procedures were not being followed and as a result, the\n associated funds were not properly safeguarded.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The imprest fund had a significant un-reconciled overage.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Volunteer personal property was not being managed in accordance with Peace\n Corps policy.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Cash advances were not properly cleared as required by Peace Corps policy.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The property management inventory listing was not complete or accurate.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Government purchase card purchases were not pre-approved or obligated prior to\n making a purchase.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Control over staff time and attendance was inadequate.\n\nManagement concurred with 19 of the 20 recommendations and partially\nconcurred with one recommendation. At the end of the reporting, period eight\nrecommendations are closed and 12 remain open.\n\n Peace Corps/Honduras: Follow-Up Audit\n\nDuring the period March 26 \xe2\x80\x93 30, 2007, we conducted a follow-up to our audit\ncarried out March 14 \xe2\x80\x93 April 6, 2004. Management concurred with all 29\nrecommendations contained in our report issued in September 2004. We reviewed\nmanagement\xe2\x80\x99s compliance with the actions agreed upon for the 29 recommendations.\nOne recommendation was re-opened that had been previously closed.\n\nWe found that the combination to the cashier\xe2\x80\x99s safe had not been changed since\nSeptember 2004. Peace Corps policies and procedures require that the safe\ncombination be changed whenever a new cashier or country director is assigned, and\nat a minimum, once a year.\n\nAt the end of the reporting period, 28 recommendations are closed and one remains\nopen.\n\n Peace Corps/Panama: Follow-Up Audit\n\nDuring the period March 19 \xe2\x80\x93 23, 2007, we conducted a follow-up to our audit\ncarried out October 17 \xe2\x80\x93 November 5, 2004. Management concurred with all\n24 recommendations contained in our report issued in September 2004. We\nreviewed management\xe2\x80\x99s compliance with the actions agreed upon for the 24 audit\nrecommendations. As a result of our review, four recommendations were re-opened\nthat had been previously closed.\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 19\n\x0cThe four re-opened findings related to the imprest fund, procurement, and Volunteer\nallowances. We found that Peace Corps/Panama was not in full compliance with\nthose particular policies and procedures and required that additional steps be taken\nby management before the four findings could be closed.\n\nAt the end of the reporting period, 20 recommendations are closed and four remain\nopen.\n\n Safeguarding of Social Security Numbers: Follow-Up Audit\n\nDuring the period January 11 \xe2\x80\x93 March 1, 2007, we conducted a follow-up to our\naudit carried out June through November 2004. Management had concurred with\nall six recommendations made in the related audit report.\n\nAlthough management had concurred with all six of the recommendations in\nthe original audit report, we closed none of the recommendations at that time.\nSubsequently, three of six recommendations were closed by the Peace Corps chief\ncompliance officer. During our follow-up audit, we verified the status of all six\nrecommendations and determined that the three closed recommendations needed to\nbe re-opened, and therefore all six recommendations were in an open status awaiting\nadditional management actions. Subsequent to our follow-up audit, management\nhas taken action and we have closed two recommendations.\n\nAt the end of the reporting period, two recommendations are closed and four remain\nopen.\n\n Peace Corps/Azerbaijan: Program Evaluation\n\nDuring the period November 6 - 22, 2006, we conducted a program evaluation of\nPeace Corps/Azerbaijan. The Peace Corps began its program in 2003, beginning\nwith a project in the education sector. The post launched its second project, the\nCommunity Economic Development project, in 2005. At the time of our review, 71\nVolunteers were serving in the two projects.\n\nWe found that Peace Corps/Azerbaijan post was providing adequate training, site\nassignment, administrative support, and safety and security support to Volunteers.\nVolunteers told us they were satisfied with their language, cultural, health and safety\nand security training, but expressed some concerns regarding technical training in\nboth projects.\n\nOur review also disclosed weaknesses in internal controls at the post in the\nmanagement of the Peace Corps Partnership Program; subsequent to our visit, the\ncountry director voluntarily disclosed further irregularities in the management of gifts\nand contributions at the post.\n\n\n 20 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cManagement concurred with 12 of our 16 recommendations, partially concurred\nwith one recommendation, and did not concur with three recommendations. We\naccepted their non-concurrence to one recommendation. At the end of the reporting\nperiod, 14 recommendations are closed and two remain open.\n\n Peace Corps/Eastern Caribbean: Program Evaluation\n\nDuring the period November 6 - 22, 2006, we conducted a program evaluation of\nPeace Corps/Eastern Caribbean. The Peace Corps entered the Eastern Caribbean in\n1961, when St. Lucia became one of three pilot Peace Corps posts worldwide. Since\nthat time, Peace Corps has expanded its presence throughout the region. Volunteers\nare working on 10 islands in six nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada,\nSt. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Over 4,300\nVolunteers have served in the Eastern Caribbean. At the time of our visit, 123\nVolunteers were living and working throughout the Eastern Caribbean.\n\nA new country director had recently arrived at the post and had begun implementing\npositive changes. However, during our review, we noted several deficiencies in post\nmanagement and Volunteer support in areas as diverse as safety and security and\nSmall Project Assistance grant funding. Specifically, we found:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Due to shortcomings in the post\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Action Plan, the post might not be\n able to evacuate Volunteers in the event of a major hurricane.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The post\xe2\x80\x99s annual safety and security Compliance Report contained inaccuracies\n in at least 10 major areas.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Some Associate Peace Corps Directors did not conduct adequate and effective site\n visits, which risked Volunteer safety and security and threatened the successful\n implementation of the post\xe2\x80\x99s new project plan.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Eleven percent of the Volunteers in our sample did not receive prescription\n medications and re-fills on time.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The post\xe2\x80\x99s Peace Corps Medical Officers maintained expired medical\n supplies, made such supplies available to Volunteers, and did not ensure that\n pharmaceuticals were consistently stored in climate-controlled environments.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The post\xe2\x80\x99s Small Projects Assistance Committee exercised weak fiscal oversight,\n resulting in a lost opportunity to fund at least six additional grants. Funds\n totaling $8,547 were still outstanding or unaccounted for beyond the required\n grant completion dates.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The post did not enforce the procedures it imposed upon community\n organizations regarding the use of the President\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Plan for AIDS\n Relief funds.\n\nManagement concurred with 29 of our 31 recommendations. At the end of the\nreporting period, three recommendations are closed and 28 remain open.\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 21\n\x0c Peace Corps/Guinea: Program Evaluation\n\nDuring the period November 24 \xe2\x80\x93 December 17, 2006, we conducted a program\nevaluation of Peace Corps/Guinea. Peace Corps Volunteers have been in Guinea\nfrom 1962 - 1966, 1969 - 1971, and 1985 until an evacuation to Mali in January\n2007. Volunteers returned in July 2007. At the time of the OIG evaluation, Peace\nCorps/Guinea had 114 Volunteers working in four projects: education, agroforestry/\nenvironment, health and HIV/AIDS, and small enterprise development.\n\nWhile the post provided vital support to the Volunteers and mitigated Guinea\xe2\x80\x99s\nchallenging transportation and communication infrastructure with its three\nregional houses, each staffed by a regional coordinator, we found that the regional\ncoordinators were under-utilized.\n\nWe also found that pre-service technical training for Small Enterprise Development\nVolunteers and Agroforestry Volunteers did not provide the Volunteers with the\nhands-on training they needed to undertake their work assignments. The lack of\napplied, hands-on training impaired the credibility of the Volunteers with their target\npopulation and their effectiveness in transferring skills. Our review of the Peace\nCorps Partnership Program found areas for improvement in the project application\nprocess and oversight at both the post level and within the Office of Private Sector\nInitiatives. The post\xe2\x80\x99s process for approving project proposals did not ensure that\nproposals met agency standards prior to being submitted to Office of Private Sector\nInitiatives for funding.\n\nWe also identified the following four areas which would strengthen the post\xe2\x80\x99s ability\nto respond to emergencies in a timely manner:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Ensuring that the post\xe2\x80\x99s electronic and paper records for Volunteer emergency\n contact information are up-to-date and complete. Paper versions of the site\n locator forms or emergency contact sheets for some Volunteers were missing or\n contained out-of-date information.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Consistent enforcement of out-of-site policies and the submission of Volunteer\n leave slips.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Testing of the Volunteer warden system after the arrival of every new group of\n Volunteers.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The reinstatement of regular radio checks to ensure that the post can reach\n Volunteers stationed in rural areas in case of an emergency.\n\nManagement concurred with 38 recommendations and partially concurred with six\nrecommendations. At the end of the reporting period, 34 recommendations are\nclosed and 10 remain open.\n\n\n\n\n 22 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c Investigations\n\n Overview\n \xc2\xa0\nThe investigative unit responds to allegations of criminal wrongdoing, fraud, and\nviolent crimes that are forwarded to the Office of Inspector General through audits\nand evaluations, hotline complaints, and Volunteers, Trainees, staff, and the public.\nWe also investigate ethics and conflicts of interest violations. The Office of Inspector\nGeneral is charged by law with the conduct of criminal investigations. The Inspector\nGeneral is authorized by statute to develop policy for the conduct of investigations,\nand to coordinate and supervise both domestic and overseas investigations.\nInvestigators work with other offices within the Agency or with other agencies,\nincluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the State Department\xe2\x80\x99s\nDiplomatic Security Services (DSS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and\nthe Department of Justice public prosecutors, as appropriate.\n\nWith over 8,000 Volunteers in more than 70 countries, incidents of crime against\nthem are inevitable. Part of the Agency\xe2\x80\x99s support to Volunteers who become victims\nis a protocol under which country directors report incidents of violent crimes to\nthe OIG. The OIG manages and coordinates the Agency\xe2\x80\x99s part of the investigative\nand prosecution process from the initial incident to the closing of the case. We\ncoordinate the investigation of the crimes with the country director, headquarters\noffices, DSS, and the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s Regional Security Officer (RSO). We work with the\nRSO to develop the best evidence for local trial. This might include preparation\nof witness statements, developing photo spreads, or obtaining DNA analysis. As\nneeded, we accompany witnesses back to the country where the crime occurred for\nlineups, depositions, and trial. We consult with the Department of Justice\xe2\x80\x99s Office\nof Foreign Litigation and receive assistance from the FBI, including the forensic\nlaboratory at Quantico and the overseas legal attach\xc3\xa9s, the Armed Forces Institute of\nPathology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and the Secret Service Forensic\nServices Division. Our role in coordinating the investigation and assisting in the\nprosecution of violent crimes against Peace Corps Volunteers brings a high volume\nof work but also gives us the opportunity to help curb violence against Peace Corps\nVolunteers. We also work with host country justice officials to prosecute violent\ncrimes against Volunteers.\n\nThe OIG operates a 24/7 duty officer system for country directors to make direct\nand immediate contact with criminal investigators in this office to coordinate\nthe response to violent crimes against Volunteers and assist the victims of crime.\nEarly intervention and coordinated support has enhanced the quality of overseas\ninvestigations. We may, in limited circumstances, also arrange for a local lawyer to be\nhired to help the prosecutor in making the case against the perpetrator of the crime.\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 23\n\x0cThe 2004 \xe2\x80\x9cEqual Access to Justice Act\xe2\x80\x9d and other Congressional enactments, as well\nas the Attorney General\xe2\x80\x99s guidance, provide a prescriptive framework for the OIG\xe2\x80\x99s\nvictim advocacy responsibilities and authority.\n\n Missing Peace Corps Volunteer Investigation\n\nOn March 4, 2001, the mother of a Volunteer reported that her son had not been\nin contact with his family for several weeks. The Volunteer had been assigned to the\nZongo Valley (Bolivia) in late December 2000. The Zongo Valley is a large canyon\nlocated 2-3 hours outside of La Paz, Bolivia, on the other side of a 15,600-foot\nmountain peak. The area is anchored by the River Zongo, and the Bolivian Electric\nAuthority operates multiple hydroelectric plants along its path.\n\nOn March 5, 2001, a search for the Volunteer was initiated in the Zongo Valley by\nhis local supervisor and other Peace Corps personnel. The search continued through\nApril 2001, and was conducted by a variety of teams, including a Bolivian search and\nrescue team, personnel from the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Office and Bolivian\nNational Police, and Peace Corps personnel with trekking, mountaineering, and\nwhitewater experience.\n\nThe FBI joined the investigation into the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s disappearance in April 2001,\nand locations in the Zongo Valley were again searched in June 2001. An assessment\nteam returned to the Zongo Valley in August 2002 to consider other potential sites to\nsearch. As recently as December 2005, a Bolivian search team returned to the Zongo\nValley and searched a seven kilometer trail between two points that may have been\ntraversed by the missing Volunteer.\n\nThe local investigation, in which several U.S. federal law enforcement agencies\nparticipated, revealed no evidence of foul play that could have contributed to the\nVolunteer\xe2\x80\x99s disappearance. His personal effects, including wallet, ID, bank card, and\ncash were found undisturbed in the locked room he rented in the Zongo Valley.\n\nOver the past several years, the U.S. Embassy and Peace Corps have conducted\nseveral publicity campaigns and media blitzes in Spanish and local Indian languages\non local television, radio, and newspapers. There is a $25,000 reward for any\ninformation regarding the Volunteer and/or his whereabouts. In 2004, the OIG\ncontracted two highly qualified private investigators to review and re-investigate\nhis disappearance. In 2005, we also established a non-U.S. tip line for anonymous\ncallers to report any information as part of the publicity campaign and reward.\nAlthough the phone line received calls, none of the tips provided any useful or\nactionable information.\n\nAs a result of a review of the documentation surrounding the investigation and\nthe multiple searches conducted in the Zongo Valley, the OIG determined that a\nmapped, grid search using global positioning system (GPS) coordinates to document\nall areas and locations that have been searched plus those that needed further review\nshould be conducted.\n\n 24 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cIn April 2007, an OIG agent accompanied two National Park Service Search and\nRescue Managers to Bolivia to conduct an assessment of a potential search area.\nIn addition, the OIG agent requested and obtained documents from other law\nenforcement agencies regarding this investigation. In July 2007, two OIG agents\nreturned to Bolivia to conduct follow-up interviews with several host country\nnationals regarding the missing Volunteer. As a result of those interviews and the\nreview of the documents, it was determined that the missing Volunteer was last seen\nin a village with an altitude of approximately 11,600 feet in the Zongo Valley. The\nVolunteer had presented his ecotourism project to the local community at a monthly\nassembly meeting. Our investigation disclosed that the Volunteer departed the\nmeeting area alone during torrential rains and minimal visibility. He had to hike\na winding trail with thousand-foot drop-offs for approximately four miles. The\nVolunteer was trying to reach a school where he had left a sleeping bag and clothing\nthe night before his visit to the community for his presentation. School officials and\nlocal residents never saw the Volunteer return to the school.\n\nIn September 2007, the Inspector General led a 28-person search team comprised of\neight specially trained National Park Service Search and Rescue personnel, four dog\nhandlers and four cadaver dogs, a veterinarian, four OIG agents, a Bolivian search\nand rescue team, personnel from the United States Embassy Regional Security Office,\nBolivian National Police, FBI officials, and other personnel to search the area where\nit is believed the Volunteer had the highest probability of an accident, based on the\nsteep, vertical terrain and treacherous precipices between the community and the\nschool. A thorough search was conducted amidst very difficult weather conditions.\nSeveral items of evidentiary value were collected and submitted to the Armed Forces\nInstitute of Pathology for analysis.\n\n Investigation of the Murder of a Volunteer\n\nDuring this reporting period, we were notified of a Volunteer who was overdue in\nreturning to her site to attend graduation proceedings at the local school where she\nwas serving as an English teacher. The Volunteer had been visiting a remote location\npopular with tourists and had told friends that she planned to hike in alone, stay for\na short period of time, then return to her home site. When she failed to return as\nplanned, numerous telephone calls were made to her cell phone, all of which went\nunanswered. A team from the United States Embassy was assembled and a search\ncommenced in the area surrounding her last known location. Interviews conducted\nplaced the Volunteer at a small caf\xc3\xa9 overlooking the valley of the search. The\nVolunteer allegedly purchased a soda, continued on her hike, failed to check in at the\nlocal tourist checkpoint, and was never seen again.\n\nWithin 72 hours of being notified, we dispatched an OIG agent specializing in\nsearch management to begin coordinating with the local police, military, local\nguide services, and U.S. Embassy to formalize a search of the area. On the second\noperational period of the formalized search, the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s remains were located in a\nremote, shallow grave. Foul play was immediately suspected.\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 25\n\x0cThe caf\xc3\xa9 owner\xe2\x80\x99s husband was immediately identified as the main suspect, having\ndeparted the valley for an extended period of time without explanation. An eye-\nwitness identified him fleeing the scene of the crime on the time and date of the\nVolunteer\xe2\x80\x99s disappearance. The suspect was arrested after an extensive manhunt.\nThe suspect submitted a voluntary statement to police in the presence of his defense\nattorney claiming that he mistook the Volunteer for a neighbor with whom he had\nbeen quarrelling. He claimed the Volunteer bumped into him while hiking on the\ntrail and that he turned around and bludgeoned her multiple times with a rock and\nlog. The Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s death was caused by multiple blunt-force traumas to the head.\n\nThe suspect remains in custody while being tried for murder where it is believed his\ndefense will attempt to assert the involuntary nature of the crime, in order to secure\na lesser conviction. The OIG, on behalf of the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s family, has retained a local\nattorney with extensive experience in prosecuting murder suspects to assist in the\nprosecution of the case. In coordination with the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s family and their stated\nwishes, the local attorney and prosecutor filed charges of murder, the maximum\nallowable under host country law.\n\nHearings pertaining to this case began on August 21 and 22, 2007, during which\ntime the defendant reconfirmed his admission of killing the Volunteer, though\nqualified his admission by asserting the homicide was \xe2\x80\x9caccidental.\xe2\x80\x9d The witness\nwho observed the defendant fleeing the crime scene testified, as did the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s\nmother, who traveled to the country to visit the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s home site and crime\nscene and to offer testimony in court. The next court proceeding has been scheduled\nfor October 8, 2007, and the following dates, if necessary: November 5 and 6, 2007;\nDecember 3 and 4, 2007; January 7 and 8, 2008; February 4 and 5, 2008; March 3\nand 4, 2008; April 7 and 8, 2008; and May 7 and 8, 2008.\n\n Investigation into Abuse of Computer Usage\n\nIn 2006, the Office of the Chief Information Officer hired a contractor to conduct\nan analysis of computer firewall logs, proxy server logs, event viewer logs, email\nlogs, antivirus logs, and physical device logs from approximately 53 overseas Peace\nCorps\xe2\x80\x99 posts. The purpose of the analysis was to assess and identify potential risks,\nvulnerabilities, breaches, brute force attacks, hacking attempts, and any other illegal\nor unauthorized activity occurring on the servers. Widespread pornography usage\nwas disclosed during this review. As a follow-up, the same contractor conducted\nadditional analysis of the data from nine of the 53 posts to identify potential\npornographic browsing activity by staff and/or Volunteers at each location, and to\nidentify the usernames associated with such activity.\n\nDuring this reporting period, the OIG coordinated with the Diplomatic Security\nService to analyze computer hard drives seized from several employees who were\nsuspected of visiting websites which contained sexually explicit material. A post\nin the Inter-America and Pacific Region was one of the nine posts selected for\nsupplemental analysis. The server logs revealed what appeared to be a high level\n\n\n 26 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cof internet traffic to pornographic websites and sex chat rooms. An OIG agent\ntraveled to the post and seized four hard drives, which were then forwarded to\nthe Department of State Diplomatic Security Service Computer Investigations\nand Forensic Unit (DSS-CIF) for analysis. DSS-CIF confirmed the usage of\npornographic websites, on-line chat rooms, and pornographic images on these\ngovernment-issued computers. Two OIG agents followed-up and conducted\ninterviews of the four employees at the post. Three staff members have had their\ncontracts terminated. The service of the fourth staff member will be terminated in\nDecember 2007. The OIG continues to investigate the abuse of internet usage.\n\n OIG Investigations of Federal Employees\xe2\x80\x99 Compensation Act Recipients\n\nAt present, the Peace Corps has approximately 1,300 open Federal Employees\xe2\x80\x99\nCompensation Act (FECA) claims. The Agency spends approximately $11 million\nin FECA claims for former Volunteers and staff who were injured or became ill on\nthe job. Unlike other Federal entities, per Section 10.730 Worker\xe2\x80\x99s Compensation\nPrograms, \xe2\x80\x9c[a]ny injury sustained by a volunteer or volunteer leader while he or she is\nlocated abroad shall be presumed to have been sustained in the performance of duty,\nand any illness contracted during such time shall be presumed to be proximately\ncaused by the employment.\xe2\x80\x9d This also includes any pre-existing condition that may\nhave been aggravated by Peace Corps service. In addition, the Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 five-year\nrule and Volunteer special status under the FECA program limit the possibility that\nthese individuals will return to work.\n\nDuring the first quarter of fiscal year 2005, the OIG, in coordination with the Peace\nCorps Office of Medical Services (OMS) launched a fraud prevention initiative for\nclaims paid under FECA. The OIG also developed a partnership with the Office of\nInspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor.\n\nOur joint review of FECA claims with OMS includes determination of medical\nstatus as it relates to the claimants ability to return to work. We also review the\nmedical status with regard to potential costs of the claim to the Agency both in\nmedical and disability costs. The OIG reviews claims with OMS staff to determine\nif further investigation is required to confirm the status of the claimant. Past reviews\nand investigations by the OIG have resulted in the identification of claimants\nwho had not disclosed supplemental income, change of address, and disability\noverpayments. The OIG has also taken an active part in investigating physicians with\nquestionable billing practices.\n\nAs a part of our efforts to monitor the FECA recipients, OIG agents continue to\ncoordinate with the post service nurse of the Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Office of Medical Services\nto investigate claimants that are suspected of abusing and/or defrauding the\nFECA program. OIG agents regularly travel to FECA district offices to conduct\nrecord reviews. We also perform surveillances, interviews, and other investigative\nactivities on individuals that have been flagged for unusual patterns of behavior or\ncircumstances. The following are the highlights of FECA investigatory work during\nthis reporting period.\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 27\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2 We concluded a two-year investigation which included target letters, surveillance,\n direct meetings, and other investigative activities regarding a FECA recipient\n who was ultimately found to be gainfully employed and teaching overseas.\n The recipient had been receiving benefits since 1992. We coordinated the\n investigation with OMS and the Office of Workers\xe2\x80\x99 Compensation Program\n (OWCP). The investigation resulted in the Department of Labor (DOL)\n terminating the claim. Annual savings to the Agency was $18,996.00 and an\n actuarial savings on the claim was estimated to be $607,872.00.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 We reviewed the FECA benefits of a former Volunteer who had been injured and\n institutionalized since 2003. DOL is resolving an OIG agent\xe2\x80\x99s finding that the\n attending hospital is in possession of overpayments of approximately $58,000\n dating back to calendar year 2003. Additionally, a review of records by the OIG\n divulged a payment error by DOL which may have resulted in $10,596.00 in\n recipient benefits going to the wrong caregiver.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In June 2007, two OIG agents traveled to Districts 9 and 3 to follow-up on\n FECA claimants. The two agents found the residence and place of employment\n of one individual. While interviewing the claimant at her place of employment,\n the agents obtained valuable information. The investigation is still pending.\n\n Surveillance was conducted on another individual in District 9. The OIG is\n awaiting the results of a mail cover recently placed on the individual\xe2\x80\x99s mail. The\n investigation is still pending.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 We coordinated with the Department of Labor\xe2\x80\x99s OIG on an investigation of\n claimant that has been deceased for over 18 months. The joint investigation\n revealed that deposited FECA payments were accessed by a family member\n who failed to notify DOL/OWCP that the claimant was deceased. From our\n investigation and initiatives, DOL is negotiating full restitution in the amount\n of $20,000 from the family member who fraudulently utilized the deceased\n claimant\xe2\x80\x99s funds. The information regarding this case was presented to the U.S.\n Attorney\xe2\x80\x99s Office for prosecution, but declined due to the low dollar threshold.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Two OIG agents traveled to southern Paraguay to conduct investigative activities\n on a claimant that had been flagged for high compensation benefits and low\n medical benefits. This case is still pending.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The OIG flagged two FECA claimants that had high compensation benefits\n and low medical costs. During interviews, OIG agents concluded that these\n individuals do have legitimate FECA claims. Therefore, no further investigative\n action is required at this time. These investigations have been closed.\n\n\n\n\n 28 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c Violent Crimes Against Volunteers\nOverseas posts are required to report immediately to the OIG and RSO any incident\nof a specified list of violent crimes against Volunteers. Early notification and response\nis critical to a successful investigation and prosecution, which may assist in a victim\xe2\x80\x99s\nrecovery, serve as a protective deterrent, and remove violent persons from society.\n\nIncidents and crimes to be reported to the OIG and RSO are:\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Volunteer Death (under any circumstances)\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Kidnapping\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Rape and Attempted Rape\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Major Sexual Assault\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Robbery\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Aggravated Assault\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Major Physical Assault\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Burglary with Volunteer/Trainee present (or attempted)\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Death Threat\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Intimidation/Stalking (also Domestic Violence)\nCrimes are reported to the OIG through the telephone number 202-692-2911 or\nthe crime hotline at violentcrimehotline@peacecorps.gov, from which the Inspector\nGeneral and investigative personnel receive notification on a 24/7 basis to assure\nprompt assistance and coordination in their investigation. For overseas crimes, the\nOIG engages with the Criminal Investigative Liaison Branch (CIL) of the Bureau of\nDiplomatic Security to facilitate communications and support to the victim and to\nthe Peace Corps post. During the reporting period, approximately 203 preliminary\ninquiries were opened, which resulted in the initiation of 25 investigations.\n\nWe have also established a dedicated law enforcement liaison line (911@peacecorps.\ngov) for other federal and foreign law enforcement agencies to access OIG\ninvestigative personnel on a 24/7 basis. This resource for coordination among law\nenforcement agencies may be the first of its kind.\n\nWe have three agents whose primary responsibility is to oversee the cases in one of\nthe Agency\xe2\x80\x99s three geographic overseas regions: Africa; Inter-America and Pacific; and\nEurope, Mediterranean, and Asia. This allows them to develop closer coordination\nwith overseas counterparts and a better understanding of the characteristics of each\ncountry and its criminal justice system. A fourth investigator is overseeing the\nAgency\xe2\x80\x99s FECA initiatives.\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 29\n\x0c Closed Cases Of Violent Crime Against Volunteers\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a South American country, a Volunteer was raped by a host country national.\n The OIG took the Volunteer to a sketch artist when she was medically evacuated\n to Washington, D.C. after the rape. The sketch was provided to local authorities\n and a suspect was apprehended. The OIG assisted the Volunteer with filing a\n formal declaration against the suspect. The OIG also accompanied the Volunteer\n to the town where the incident occurred where she identified the suspect in a\n physical line-up. The case went to trial and the jury unanimously found the\n suspect guilty and he was convicted to 10 years in jail.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 A female Volunteer serving in a Central Asian country was raped by an\n acquaintance of her counterpart. The Volunteer reported the assault to the\n police, who immediately took the subject into custody. Through coordination\n with the U.S. Embassy and a local investigator, the subject was tried and\n convicted. He was sentenced to eight years in a maximum security prison facility.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a South American country, a former Volunteer who had been sexually\n assaulted in 2003 by a host country national returned for trial accompanied by an\n OIG agent. The former Volunteer testified and the defendant was convicted and\n sentenced to four years incarceration for his crime.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In an East African country, a Volunteer was walking down a busy thoroughfare\n when she was grabbed from behind, dragged to the ground, and robbed of her\n handbag. An angry crowd gave chase to the perpetrator. Local police authorities\n arrived and shot and killed the perpetrator. The stolen property was recovered;\n the Volunteer was treated for minor injuries.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a Caribbean country, a Volunteer reported that she had been sexually assaulted\n by another Volunteer six months after the event. The OIG and the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s\n Regional Security Officer interviewed the suspect, the victim, and witnesses. The\n case was referred to the U.S. Attorneys Office in the alleged assailant\xe2\x80\x99s home of\n record. The case was declined due to the victim\xe2\x80\x99s reluctance to prosecute, the\n delay in reporting the incident, and the lack of physical evidence. The suspect\n resigned in lieu of administrative separation.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a South American country, a Volunteer reported that she had been sexually\n assaulted by another Volunteer. The OIG interviewed the alleged victim, suspect\n and other potential witnesses. During an interview with the country director, the\n suspect admitted to being so intoxicated that he could not remember the events\n clearly, but did recall that the victim had said no to his advances. The suspect\n resigned prior to initiation of administrative separation proceedings.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 An investigation of allegations that a Volunteer raped two other Volunteers while\n serving in an Eastern European country has concluded. This case was presented\n in the District Courts of two states but both venues declined prosecution. The\n OIG concluded investigative and prosecutorial efforts concerning these matters.\n\n 30 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c Active Investigations of Violent Crime Cases\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The OIG continued to work with local prosecuting attorneys in an Eastern\n European country to convict three suspects who brutally assaulted and raped a\n female Volunteer. As a result of intergovernmental cooperation, all three suspects\n were found guilty. Two received six-year prison sentences, and one suspect\n received probation. The U.S. Embassy and the OIG are seeking an appeal of the\n sentences because they do not reflect the grave nature of the crime. The results of\n the appeal are pending.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a Caribbean country, we are investigating the assault of a Volunteer with a\n machete. The Volunteer received a serious shoulder injury when he attempted\n to break up a fight. The Volunteer received medial attention and was medically\n separated from the Agency. The assailant was apprehended and is currently\n detained. An OIG agent will accompany the Volunteer to trial in December\n 2007.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a Pacific island country, a Volunteer was raped by a host country national.\n Local police identified and arrested a suspect after the Volunteer had left the\n country. An OIG agent traveled to post to coordinate with police and collect\n DNA evidence. Subsequent DNA analysis performed by the FBI laboratory\n confirmed that the subject in custody is the perpetrator of the crime. A trial is\n pending.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 A Volunteer was raped in a South American country by host country nationals.\n The Volunteer identified one of the suspects as a local police officer through both\n a photo and physical line-up. An OIG agent coordinated investigative activities\n with the Assistant Regional Security Officer, local police, and the prosecutor at\n the post. The OIG forwarded evidence to the FBI lab for DNA analysis, but\n it did not match the suspect. The Volunteer was subsequently able to identify\n a second suspect through a photo line-up and a physical line-up of the second\n suspect is pending.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a South American country, a Volunteer was raped by her host country national\n counterpart. The police apprehended the suspect and placed him in jail. An\n OIG agent coordinated evidence collection with the Peace Corps Medical Officer.\n The OIG is in the process of retaining counsel for the Volunteer.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 A Volunteer was raped in a South American country by a host country\n national. The Volunteer was medically evacuated to Washington, D.C. The\n OIG coordinated with the Fairfax County police department and via Volunteer\n description, an artist was able to compile a sketch of the suspect. The sketch was\n forwarded to the local police to assist with their search for the suspect. The OIG\n is attempting to obtain counsel for the assaulted Volunteer.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a West African country, a Volunteer was the victim of an attempted sexual\n assault by a co-worker. The subject has been identified and will be questioned by\n local police authorities.\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 31\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2 In an East African country, two Volunteers were accosted by an armed assailant.\n The Volunteers were robbed of cash, cell phone and other belongings. The\n assailant was apprehended, and the property was recovered. This case is awaiting\n trial.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a southern Africa country, an escaped felon attempted to sexually assault a\n Volunteer. The Volunteer victim\xe2\x80\x99s screams attracted villagers who apprehended\n the assailant for police authorities. The case is awaiting trial.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, a Volunteer in a West African country was sexually\n assaulted and the assailant fled. Local police learned the identity of the attacker\n from villagers, and he was arrested and taken into custody. Working together\n with the post and local police authorities, an OIG agent forwarded DNA\n evidence to the FBI lab for analysis. An OIG agent went to post and testified\n in court about the chain of custody and the efficacy of DNA analysis. The\n perpetrator was convicted and sentenced to serve six years in prison.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, the subject of a sexual assault case against a Volunteer\n in a central African country remains in custody awaiting trial. The Volunteer,\n who has subsequently left service, was accompanied back to the country by\n Agency staff for the preliminary hearing. A trial date is pending.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, in a northern African country, local villagers thwarted\n an attempted rape of a Volunteer. The assailant was apprehended, incarcerated,\n and is awaiting trial.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, a Volunteer in a northern African country suffered a\n fractured arm while being raped by two men. The suspects were apprehended,\n but one escaped after being in local police custody. He was subsequently\n recaptured. The Volunteer, who has left service, has expressed interest in\n returning to the post when a trial is convened.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, a Volunteer was stabbed multiple times in an Eastern\n Asian country. Through immediate intervention and emergency surgery, the\n Volunteer survived. Host country police continue their investigation and one\n subject has been apprehended and remains in custody while a second subject is\n still at large. During this reporting period, the OIG continued to coordinate\n with the U.S. Embassy to ensure that the jailed subject is tried for the attack\n while the search continues for his accomplices.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, a Volunteer homicide in a central African country\n that occurred in 1998 remains an open investigation with the OIG, the RSO,\n and the FBI. The Peace Corps program in the country has been closed, but the\n OIG continues to coordinate with both law enforcement agencies and the local\n authorities to seek justice. We met with the FBI during the reporting period to\n strategize on investigative efforts, including ongoing discussions with the local\n government.\n\n 32 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, a Volunteer in a sub-Saharan African country suffered\n a serious physical injury from a knife during a home invasion. The suspect\n was apprehended and is presently incarcerated. The Volunteer was medically\n separated from the Agency and has recovered. The Volunteer provided a written\n deposition to be submitted as evidence, which may preclude her appearance at an\n upcoming trial.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, in a West African country, two Volunteers were\n robbed by a knife-wielding assailant on a motorcycle. Neither of the Volunteers\n sustained injuries. Local authorities arrested a subject and a trial is pending.\n\n\n Title 18 Criminal and Other Investigations Conducted\n Investigations Leading to Disposition\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 During the previous reporting period, the OIG opened an investigation relating\n to a Volunteer serving in a Middle Eastern country engaging in public political\n statements in violation of Agency policy. A variety of Peace Corps Manual\n sections and Handbook procedures require Peace Corps Volunteers to maintain\n an apolitical posture in their country of service and refrain from becoming\n involved in the political affairs of their host country. Among the sentiments\n expressed in the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s internet-based journal (\xe2\x80\x9cblog\xe2\x80\x9d) were political\n opinions about the country in which he was serving, favorable comments about\n groups classified by Executive Order as terrorist organizations, and comments\n concerning the foreign policy of a neighboring country in the region. The\n Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s blog was publicly available and not password protected.\n\n During this reporting period, OIG developed additional evidence that the\n Volunteer was provided with training regarding Agency prohibitions on\n political statements, including the requirement of clearing any political blog\n with the country director. The Volunteer acknowledged that his statements\n could pose a security risk to him in his country of service. The Volunteer\n further conceded that the portion of his blog in which he was critical of local\n governments could have become known to the host-country Government and\n undermine Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 credibility in his host country. The Volunteer also\n acknowledged associating with members of his host country\xe2\x80\x99s intelligence service.\n When representatives of the host government became aware of the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s\n statements and associations, they expressed concern to the U.S. Embassy about\n the safety of the Volunteer and the U.S. Ambassador recommended that the\n Volunteer be removed from the country within 24 hours.\n\n The host country agency also conducted an investigation of the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s \t\n activity and found further evidence that he had discussed political issues with\n host country nationals.\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 33\n\x0c The OIG also found that the country director failed in her responsibilities to \t\t\n monitor and oversee the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s blog entries and did not object to certain \t\n entries that were political in nature and violative of Agency\xe2\x80\x99s rules and guidelines.\n\n\t During this reporting period, the Volunteer resigned in lieu of administrative \t\t\n\t separation. The country director, who had been slated to work in the Peace Corps \t\t\n\t Director\xe2\x80\x99s Office, retired in lieu of this assignment.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, we received several complaints from U.S. citizens\n who had wired funds to pay for dogs to be purportedly shipped from West\n Africa. The dogs allegedly belonged to Peace Corps staff/Volunteers residing\n overseas. The complainants contacted the OIG when they became suspicious\n of requests to send additional funds to complete logistical transactions for dogs.\n The OIG investigated the allegations and discovered that a widespread internet\n dog adoption scheme was being perpetrated by local citizens operating in West\n Africa. The OIG collaborated with the West African country\xe2\x80\x99s embassy in\n Washington D.C., Interpol, the RSO in country, and local police authorities to\n gather information and investigate this matter. The investigation resulted in the\n arrest and incarceration of four individuals. The OIG also recovered $2,300 in\n U.S. currency which was returned to the victims of this cyber crime.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The OIG investigated a complaint of fraud and cyber crime. Several individuals\n had established a lending organization on the internet that included the Peace\n Corps logo and emblem in violation of 22 USC \xc2\xa71030, 18 USC \xc2\xa7 712, and 22\n USC \xc2\xa7 2518. The matter was referred to the Office of the General Counsel and\n remediation actions have been initiated.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The OIG investigated an allegation that an employee received medical treatment\n in the United States for cancer and returned to his post in an Eastern Africa\n country without properly notifying the Department of State\xe2\x80\x99s Medical Clearance\n Section. The investigation verified this and disclosed other irregularities\n concerning the employee\xe2\x80\x99s time and attendance practices and his supervision.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a southern African country, it was reported to us that a personal services\n contractor driver admitted to unauthorized use of fuel advances to purchase\n personal items. Additionally, the driver made false claims and provided false\n documents in furtherance of his thefts. The post is seeking reimbursement of\n funds. The driver\xe2\x80\x99s employment with the Agency has been terminated.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a southern Africa country, armed bandits car jacked a Peace Corps Land\n Cruiser and robbed the occupants of the vehicle. No Peace Corps staff or\n Volunteers were injured. The vehicle was recovered intact by local police\n authorities.\n\n Active Investigations\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In July 2007, the cashier, two drivers, and a guard were robbed at gunpoint of\n approximately $44,600 government funds while waiting for a traffic light to\n 34 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c change in a South American country. Three men on a motorcycle shot into two\n government vehicles being used to transport the local staff with the cash. Two\n OIG agents went to post to investigate the circumstances of the armed robbery.\n The agents conducted interviews with nine employees; met with police, embassy,\n and bank officials; and reviewed pertinent documents. The investigation revealed\n that three employees had conspired to divert Volunteer living allowance funds\n into the imprest fund to cover cash shortages without authorization or prior\n consultation with management. The plan evolved over the course of a week, and\n included multiple contacts and phone calls with the local bank supervisors, who\n were pressured into converting the Volunteer living allowance funds into a check\n in the cashier\xe2\x80\x99s name, which she was then directed to cash at another branch\n of the same bank. The cashier, administrative officer, and safety and security\n coordinator arranged for two identical government vehicles to travel in a convoy\n to and from the bank to conduct the illegal transaction. A uniformed, perimeter\n security guard accompanied the two drivers and cashier, but was placed in the\n vehicle that did not contain the money. The security guard was injured and\n lost his duty weapon and radio in the incident, and both he and a driver were\n nearly killed. While no evidence of direct employee participation in the robbery\n was uncovered, the investigation indicated a Title 31 U.S.C. \xc2\xa71301 purpose\n statute violation under the Anti-Deficiency Act. The investigation also disclosed\n numerous violations committed by the Safety and Security Coordinator related\n to the local guard force contract, and the mishandling and misappropriation of\n U.S. government funds.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 An ethics/criminal conflict of interest case was brought to the attention of the\n OIG from an anonymous complainant who alleged that the hiring process,\n including the particulars in the vacancy announcement, had been manipulated\n so that a specific employee would be selected for an internal position. The\n OIG initiated an investigation of these allegations and interviewed employees\n involved in the referenced job vacancy announcement. The OIG reviewed\n pertinent documents, electronic mail, and discussed the allegations with the\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Designated Agency Ethics Official. This investigation disclosed that the\n subject violated the Standards of Ethical Conduct as she had direct participation\n in the development of the subject vacancy announcement, including editing\n and modifying the job criteria for which she applied. Due to the results of\n the investigation, the subject\xe2\x80\x99s job offer was revoked and the position was re-\n advertised. The Agency is also considering disciplinary action against the\n employee who violated the Standards of Ethical Conduct.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In a central African country, post staff reported that the cashier failed to report\n for work and funds were missing. The OIG dispatched a criminal investigator\n and an auditor to the post to determine the extent of the loss and investigate\n the circumstances of the crime. It was determined the cashier fled with\n approximately $43,000. The OIG has issued a warrant for the arrest of the\n former employee.\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 35\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2 An OIG agent traveled to a Pacific island country in response to PROTECT\n Act violation allegations involving multiple male Volunteers. The investigation\n revealed that a small group of male Volunteers had been engaging in improper\n and inappropriate behavior on government property, including sexual activity\n with host country national females. Prior to the end of their original close of\n service date, all six Volunteers resigned in lieu of administrative separation.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 In April 2007, the OIG received an allegation that a Peace Corps employee had\n been previously arrested in a criminal case in Africa, but had fled the jurisdiction\n to avoid trial. An OIG agent contacted State Department counterparts and\n confirmed that the subject had been arrested and formal charges had been filed\n against the subject while living and working in the host country for a non-\n governmental organization. However, the subject got out of jail and fled the\n jurisdiction prior to trial. The charges, if proven in a court of law, were serious\n enough to impact the subject\xe2\x80\x99s suitability for employment with the Peace Corps.\n The subject had also failed to disclose the arrest or prior overseas employment on\n their employment application and security questionnaire. The OIG referred this\n matter to the Office of Safety and Security for immediate action.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The OIG is awaiting the trial of three subjects, including one former Peace Corps\n employee, who are being detained for the theft of two Peace Corps Land Cruisers\n in a southern African country. One of the two vehicles was later recovered in a\n neighboring country.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 On July 26, 2007, the OIG received an anonymous complaint concerning the\n travel of a senior Peace Corps offical. The complainant commented that the\n senior official routed his overseas trips through another state for personal reasons,\n including to accumulate frequent flier miles. The complainant also questioned\n whether the senior official could begin or end his official travel in a site other\n than Washington, D.C., even though his official duty station is Washington D.C.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, the OIG and a Regional Security Officer participated\n in a joint investigation of a host country national employee in a southern African\n country who was implicated and subsequently arrested by local police authorities\n for the theft of more than $9,000 of Peace Corps funds. The case is still in the\n trial stage.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 As was previously reported, in an East African country, the OIG continues to\n work with the Peace Corps Africa Region, U.S. Embassy, and a locally retained\n lawyer to prosecute a host country national for the theft of internet services\n from the local Peace Corps office. Peace Corps is also seeking restitution of\n approximately $6,000 from the subject, who is a former Peace Corps employee.\n The subject is suspected of distributing Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 computer network password\n information and allowing unauthorized persons to access internet services at the\n agency\xe2\x80\x99s expense.\n\n\n\n 36 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cTABLE 1: List of Reports : Audits, Evaluations, and Inspections\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps/Cameroon Audit\n Peace Corps/Jordan Audit\n Peace Corps/Niger Audit\n Peace Corps/Senegal Audit\n Peace Corps/Thailand Audit\n Peace Corps/Zambia Audit\n Peace Corps/Honduras Follow-up Audit\n Peace Corps/Panama Follow-up Audit\n Safeguarding of Social security Number Follow-up Audit\n Peace Corps/Azerbaijan Program Evaluation\n Peace Corps/Eastern Caribbean Program Evaluation\n Peace Corps/Guinea Program Evaluation\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 37\n\x0c TABLE 2: Reports Issued with Questioned Costs or\n Funds Put to Better Use\n\n\n Value Note\n\nAudit of Peace Corps/Niger\t $\t 1,002.04 \t 1\n\nAudit of Peace Corps/Jordan \t\t $ \t 10,000.00 \t\t 2\n\nAudit of Peace Corps/Ecuador \t\t $ \t 109,807.94 \t \t3\n\nProgram Evaluation of\nPeace Corps/Eastern Caribbean \t\t $\t 40,665.00 \t 4\n\n\nTotal of Reports Issued with Costs \t\nQuestioned or Funds Put to Better Use\t\t\t$\t 161,474.98\n\n\nNote:\n1. Unaccounted for collections.\n2. Unauthorized imprest fund holdings.\n3. Sale of excess vehicle and obsolete equipment.\n4. Bills of collections not completed for unexpended grant funds. Grant funds expended from improper\n source.\n\n\n\n\n 38 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c TABLE 3: Status of Reports Issued by\n OIG with Costs Questioned\n\n\n\n\n Number of Value\n \t\tReports\n\nA. Reports issued prior to this period\n\t For which no management decision had been\t\n \t made on any issue\t\t\t\t0\n\n \t For which some decisions had been made\n \t on some issues\t\t 0\n\nB. Reports issued during the period\t 2 \t $22,706.04\n\nTotal of Categories A and B\t\t\t\t2 \t $22,706.04\n\nC. For which final management decisions were made\t\n during this period\t\t\t\t2 \t $22,706.04\n\nD. For which no management decisions were made\n during the period\t\t\t \t0\n\nE. For which management decisions were made\n on some issues during the period\t\t\t\t0\t\n\nTOTAL OF CATEGORIES C, D, and E\t\t\t\t2 \t $22,706.04\x08\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 39\n\x0c TABLE 4: Status of Reports Issued by\n OIG with Funds Put to Better Use\n\n\n\n \t\n Number of Value\n Reports\n\nA. Reports issued prior to this period\t\n For which no management decision had been\n made on any issue\t 1 $109,807.94\n\n For which some decisions had been made\n on some issues\t\t0 0\n\nB. Reports issued during the period\t 2 \t\t $28,961.00\n\nTotal of Categories A and B\t 3\t\t$138,354.94\n\nC. For which final management decisions were made\n during this period \t 3\t \t$138,354.94\n\nD. For which no management decisions were made\n during the period\t 0 0\n\nE. For which management decisions were made\n on some issues during the period\t 0 0\n\nTOTAL OF CATEGORIES C, D, and E \t 3\t\t$138,354.94\n\n\n\n\n40 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c TABLE 5: Reports with Recommendations on which Corrective\n Action has not been Completed\n\n\n Recommendations open 60 days or more\nReport \t\t\t\tDate Issued Number of Open\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Recommendations\n\nPC/Honduras: Follow-up Audit \t \t\t\t\t\t\t 6\t/21/2007 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t 1\nPC/Panama: Audit and Evaluation \t \t 6\t /22/2007 \t\t 4\nPC/Eastern Caribbean \t \t\t 6/25/2007 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 28\nFollow-up Audit of the Safeguarding of Social Security Numbers \t\t 6/25/2007 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 2\nPC/Azerbaijan: Program Evaluation\t\t\t\t \t 7/26/2007 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 2\nPC/Niger: Audit \t 7/27/2007 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 20\n\n Recommendations open 120 days or more\nReport \t Date Issued \t Number of Open\n Recommendations\n\nNone\n Recommendations open 180 days or more*\nReport \t Date Issued \t Number of Open\n \t \tRecommendations\nGap Analysis \t\t\t\t 10/15/2004 \t \t1\nFY 04 Agency Financial Statements: Audit \t\t\t 11/15/2004 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\nAudit of the Safeguarding of Social Security Numbers \t\t\t\t\t 3/4/2004 \t\t 2\nPC/Uganda: Audit \t\t\t\t\t 9/21/2005 \t\t 1\nFY 05 Agency Financial Statements: Audit \t\t\t\t\t 11/15/2005 \t \t3\nPC/Namibia: Audit \t\t 12/9/2005 \t\t 1\nFISMA \t\t\t\t\t 5/22/2006 \t\t 8\nTravel Policies and Procedures: Audit \t\t\t\t\t 6/27/2006 \t\t\t\t 9\nMid-Atlantic Recruiting Office \t\t 9/29/2006 \t\t 2\nPC/South Africa: Audit and Evaluation \t\t 10/23/2006 \t\t 2\nPC/Cameroon: Evaluation \t\t\t\t 10/23/2006 \t\t\t 15\nPC/Uganda: Follow-up Audit \t\t\t\t \t12/14/2006 \t\t 4\nPC/Ecuador: Audit and Evaluation \t\t\t 1/25/2007 \t\t 3\nPC/China: Audit \t\t\t\t 3/30/2007 \t\t 1\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 41\n\x0c TABLE 6: Summary of Investigative Activity\n\n\n\n Cases NUMBER\n Cases opened as of 4/1/2007 65\n Cases opened during 4/1/2007 - 9/30/2007 \t\t\t 18\n Cases closed that were previously opened \t\t\t 17\n Cases opened and closed during 4/1/2007 - 9/30/2007 \t\t\t 0\n Total open cases as of 9/30/2007 \t\t\t 66\n Referrals for Department of Justice Prosecution \t\t 11\n Referrals for Agency Administration Action \t\t\t\t 7\n Referrals to Other Agencies 1\n\n\n Domestic Court Actions NUMBER\n Trial(s) Pending 0\n Convictions 0\n Acquittals 0\n Judgments 0\n Fines/Restitutions 0\n\n\nOverseas Court Actions \t\t NUMBER \t VALUE\n Trial(s) Pending 14\n Convictions 5\n Acquittals 0\n Judgments 0\n Fines/Restitutions 2 $2,300\n\nMonetary Results NUMBER VALUE\n Annual Savings 1 $58,538\n Recoveries/Restitution 0\n Cost Avoidance 1 $607,872\n\nADMINIstrative Actions NUMBER\n Employees (Resignations and Terminations) 7\n Other Employee Actions 6\n Other Persons/Businesses 9\n\n\n\n\n 42 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0c TABLE 7: Summary of Hotline and Other Complaints\n\n\n\n\nComplaints Received 22\nComplaints Closed 20\nAwaiting OIG Action 2\nResulted in Investigations 4\nResulted in Audits 0\nResulted in Evaluations 0\nReferred to Agency Management 0\nReferred to Other Agency 0\nNo Action Needed* 17\n\n*\n Nine of these complaints were regarding one issue.\n\n\n\n\n Peace Corps Office of Inspector General 43\n\x0c TABLE 8: References to Reporting Requirements of\n the Inspector General Act\n\n\nThe Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, specifies reporting requirements for\nSemiannual Reports to Congress. The requirements are listed below and indexed to the\napplicable page.\n\nAct Reference Reporting Requirements Page\n\nSection 4(a)(2) Review of legislation and regulations None\nSection 5(a)(1) Significant problems, abuses, and deficiencies 6 \xe2\x80\x93 22\nSection 5(a)(2) Significant recommendations for corrective actions 6 \xe2\x80\x93 22\nSection 5(a)(3) Prior significant recommendations on which corrective action\n has not been completed 41\nSection 5(a)(4) Matters referred to prosecuting authorities 34 \xe2\x80\x93 36\nSection 5(a)(5) Summary of instances where information was refused None\nSection 5(a)(6) List of audit reports, including evaluations, inspections, and\n reviews 37\nSection 5(a)(7) Summary of significant reports 13 \xe2\x80\x93 22\nSection 5(a)(8) Statistical table - questioned costs 39\nSection 5(a)(9) Statistical table - funds put to better use 40\nSection 5(a)(10) Summary of previous audit reports without management\n decisions None\nSection 5(a)(11) Significant revised management decisions None\nSection 5(a)(12) Significant management decisions with which the Inspector\n General disagrees None\nSection 5(a)(13) Information under Federal Financial Management\n Improvement Act of 1996 None\n\n\n\n\n 44 Semiannual Report to Congress April 1 - September 30, 2007\n\x0cHelp promote the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Peace Corps.\nAnyone knowing of wasteful practices, abuse, mismanagement, fraud, or\nunlawful activity involving Peace Corps program or personnel should call or\nwrite the Office of Inspector General.\n\nCall:\nMain Office (202) 692-2900\nHotline (800) 233-5874\nViolent Crime Notifications (202) 692-2911\n\nWrite:\nPeace Corps\nAttn: Inspector General\n1111 - 20th St., N.W.\nWashington, DC 20526\n\nOr\n\nPeace Corps\nAttn: Inspector General\nP.O. Box 57129\nWashington, DC 20037-7129\n\nEmail:\nHotline: OIG@peacecorps.gov\nViolent Crime Notifications: violentcrimehotline@peacecorps.gov\n\n\n\n\n Information received is held in confidence to the maximum feasible extent.\n\x0cPeace Corps\nOffice of Inspector General\nPaul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters\n1111 - 20th St., NW\nWashington, DC 20526\n\x0c'