Valkyrie
11th April 2002, 00:31
An audit of government credit cards found that Interior Department employees used them not only to pay personal phone bills, rent, and car repairs, but also to get cash in casinos and purchase jewelry. After the audit, the agency launched another study on restricting card use. Do you think employees know the cards should not be used for personal expenses?
A recent congressioanl investigation on government-issued credit and charge cards at the Pentagon found that they were being used to purchase groceries, Valentine's Day gifts, and even breast augmentation, for which the user eventually repaid.
Many defaulted on tens of millions of dollars. The Pentagon launched a committee to study how to control 1.6 million defense employees who have such cards.
The latest report, submitted in December and released this week by the Interior Department's inspector general, found similar problems at the agency. In addition to phone bills and rent, the government-issued cards were used to obtain cash through teller machines or wire transfer in casinos.
The agency said it was launching a training program to educate its employees across the country on what charges are inappropriate on government-issued credit cards. The report did not specify whether personal purchases have been repaid or whether the users defaulted.
The audit also found that more than 1,100 former Interior employees hold active credit cards, which apparently didn't have any charges. Nearly 60,000 workers at Interior have such cards, according to the report.
After the report was circulated last year, the Interior Department launched a new study to find ways to control its credit card users. The eight-month study is expected to be completed by August.
A recent congressioanl investigation on government-issued credit and charge cards at the Pentagon found that they were being used to purchase groceries, Valentine's Day gifts, and even breast augmentation, for which the user eventually repaid.
Many defaulted on tens of millions of dollars. The Pentagon launched a committee to study how to control 1.6 million defense employees who have such cards.
The latest report, submitted in December and released this week by the Interior Department's inspector general, found similar problems at the agency. In addition to phone bills and rent, the government-issued cards were used to obtain cash through teller machines or wire transfer in casinos.
The agency said it was launching a training program to educate its employees across the country on what charges are inappropriate on government-issued credit cards. The report did not specify whether personal purchases have been repaid or whether the users defaulted.
The audit also found that more than 1,100 former Interior employees hold active credit cards, which apparently didn't have any charges. Nearly 60,000 workers at Interior have such cards, according to the report.
After the report was circulated last year, the Interior Department launched a new study to find ways to control its credit card users. The eight-month study is expected to be completed by August.