16.6.4 Investigation of Malfeasance

(Last Modified on January 30, 2024)

Malfeasance is any conduct or act carried out by a public official that cannot be legally justified or conflicts with the law including, but not limited to, fraud, waste, and abuse. The USG Office of Internal Audit, Ethics and Compliance (OIAEC) has the primary obligation for investigating reported malfeasance involving the USO, institutional senior administrators, and institutions without an institutional internal audit department. Institutional internal audit departments or the office charged with Ethics Line oversight have the primary obligation for malfeasance investigations at institutions. However, the institutional internal audit department should be made aware of all incidents of employee malfeasance.

OIAEC and institutional internal audit departments may contact other departments, including the office of legal affairs, public safety, and human resources, to establish the necessary team to proceed with the review or investigation. The investigative team will attempt to keep source information as confidential as possible.