NPS Employee Violated Purchasing Rules

January 2, 2018

Investigation

OIG investigated transaction irregularities on a Department of the Interior purchase card assigned to an employee at Nez Perce National Historic Park, National Park Service (NPS). The questionable purchases included a $17,000 charge at a pawn shop, two tuition payments at a local university, and purchases that appeared to have been structured to circumvent the micro purchase limit. We confirmed that the employee purchased art for the park museum from a pawn shop for $17,000 and, at the direction of a supervisor, made tuition payments for other employees on the DOI purchase card. We further determined those purchases were not for private gain, but the employee did admit to structuring those purchases and others to circumvent the micro purchase limit in violation of NPS policy. Finally, we found that the employee’s two supervisors were aware of his policy violations and took no corrective action. The employee and the two supervisors have all left the Department.

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