Investigation of Charge Card Misuse by USGS Employees

This investigation was initiated based on allegations that a USGS research geologist used multiple USGS government purchase cards to pay for his college tuition at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), where he was pursuing his PhD.

 

We confirmed the research geologist instructed USGS employees to use their purchase cards to purchase $12,466.67 in credit towards future services at a CSM lab, which violated government prohibitions against splitting purchases, purchasing services without a bona fide need, and using currently available fiscal funds for services rendered in next fiscal year.

 

We also found emails between the research geologist and a lab official that indicated the research geologist attempted to use the funds on deposit at the lab to pay for his tuition. CSM ultimately paid the research geologist’s tuition with a fellowship, not the USGS funds, which remained on credit at the lab. The research geologist denied his intention was to use the USGS funds to pay for his tuition.