UNACCREDITED DEGREE: TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION SYSTEMS OFFICER (2008-9001-IG)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06627997
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 17, 2024
• Document Release Date: November 15, 2024
• Case Number: F-2013-02114
• Publication Date: February 28, 2012

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COWIDENTIAL
Central Intelligence Agency
Inspector General
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REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
(U) UNACCREDITED DEGREE: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
INFORMATION SYSTEMS OFFICER
(2008-90014G)
David B. Buckley
inspector General
(b)(3) NatSecAct
28 February 2012
(b)(3) CIAAct
(b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
Assistant Inspector General
for Investigations
(b)(3) CIAAct
(b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
Special Agent
NOTICE: The information in this report
is covered by the Privacy Act, 3 � 552a,
and should be hand ied accordingly.
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Office of Inspector General
Investigations Staff
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
(U) UNACCREDITED DEGREE: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
INFORMATION SYSTEMS OFFICER
(2008-9001-IG)
28 February 2012
Section 1� Subject:
Section 2� Predication:
0 Based on a 2008 United States Secret Service investigation that identified
an Agency contractor as possessing a degree from an known fraudulent higher
education organization (a.k.a. a diploma mill). The Office of Inspector General
(OIG) initiated a proactive investigation on 5 August 2008, into Agency staff claiming
degrees from non-accredited institutions. OIG matched a List of unaccredited
institutions against Agency Biography (13I0) information to identify any individuals
who had provided degree evidence to Human Resources. A source with knowledge
informed OIG that received a bachelor's degree from
is an unaccredited institution
and is not affiliated with the accredited
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Section 3� Potential Violations:
1. (U) Title 18 U.S.C. � 1001 (Fraud and False Statements, Statements or entries generalb)
provides in pertinent part:
Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction
of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States,
knowingly and willfully-
(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially
false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry; shall be fined under this title or imprisoned
not more than 5 years, or both. . . .
2. (Ii) Title 18 U.S.C. � 287 (False, fictitious or fraudulent claims) provides in
pertinent part:
Whoever makes or presents to any person or officer in the civil, military or naval services of
the United States, or to any department or agency thereof, any claim upon or against the
United States, or any department or agency thereof, knowing such claim to be false,
fictitious, or fraudulent, shall be imprisoned not more than five years and shall be subject to
a fine in the amount provided in this title.
3. (U// ) Agency Regulation (AR) 18-1, CIA University - General, dated
21 April 2004, provides in pertinent part:
(1)(d) ACADEMIC TRAINING
(1) Each Deputy Director, Chief, Mission Support Office, or Head of Independent Office
(DD, C/MSO, or H10) or designee may select and assign employees to academic degree
training and may pay or reimburse the costs of academic degree training from appropriated
or other available funds if such training meets the following three criteria: ...
(c) Is accredited and is provided by a college or university that is accredited by a nationally
recognized accrediting body, as identified by the Department of Education. Accreditation of
the granting institution is required for a degree to be eligible for payment or reimbursement.
(2) In exercising this authority each DD, C/MSO, or HIO or designee shall:
Take into consideration the need to:
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(b) Ensure that the training is not for the sole purpose of providing an employee an
opportunity to obtain an academic degree or qualify for appointment to a particular position
for which the academic degree is a basic requirement.
(c) To the greatest extent practicable, facilitate the use of online degree training.
(3) The guidance in sections d(1) and d(2) above pertain to full academic degrees, and in all
such cases, accreditation of the granting institution is required for that degree to be eligible
for payment or reimbursement. However, Operating Officials, HI0s, and the Deputy
Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DD/NRO) may fund individual training
courses provided by colleges, universities, and private vendors, including non-accredited
institutions. Care must be taken to ensure that, through careful supervisory approval and
vigilant HR office oversight, any such training must be clearly job related, and that the
provider actually delivers the quality and quantity of training purchased.
Section 4- Investigative Results:
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During a 5 March 2009 interview,
Agency provided reimbursement for three of the 10 courses he needed to obtain a
(b)(1)
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(b)(6)
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diploma from
an enrollment fee.
officer.
entering the program
stated to OIG that the
stated that he paid for various other costs to include
further stated that he learned about from
a co-worker and fellow telecommunications information systems
stated that he did not research accreditation prior to
(b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
(b
(b
(b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
stated that he received money from the Department Of
Justice (DOD approximately two years after receiving the degree from which he
retained since he had paid most of the costs for the program. stated that (b)(6)
he did not think the degree was fraudulent until he receive e letter (b)(7)(c)
from DOJ (b)(1)
(b)(6) (b)(3) CIAAct
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(b)(1)
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(b)(7)(c)
stated that he did not submit the diploma to the Agency
to be filed with his records. stated that, after he received the letter from
DOJ, he was embarrassed and did not recall subsequently mentioning the degree.
stated that his career field did not require a bachelor's degree (b)(1)
1Ri
stated that he told his direct supervisor,
that he had earned a degree from (b)(6)
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� f1/44 Records checks showed
(b)(1) classes ($530 and $580) in 1995.
(b)(3) CIAAct
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(b)(6) filed on 28 December 1995
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received reimbursement for only two
Personal History Statement Form 444E, which was
listed his degree from (b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
tudents, sent 1('D)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
g The letter provided by DOJ to forr6)
tated in part: (b)(7)(c)
Section 5 � Conclusions:
(b)(1)
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(b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
OIG referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District
of Virginia (EDVA) on 12 March 2009 for possible violation of Titles 18 U.S.C.
� 1001 (Fraud and False Statements, Statements or entries generally) and/or 18 U.S.C. � 287
(False, fictitious, or fraudulent claims). EDVA declined prosecution on 14 April 2009 for
lack of prosecutive merit in favor of administrative action.
courses from
DOJ. Based on an opinion provided by OIG Counsel,
responsible for repaying the refunded money to the Agency.
(b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
received reimbursement from the Agency for $1,110 for two
and then received additional funds from the fraud settlement with
is not
(b)(1)
(b)(3) CIAAct
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(U) The attached letter is the template sent to all individuals reimbursed by the Department of Ji(b)(6):ndividual
letters were not retained. (b)(7)(c)
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(b)(1)
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-COITIPTErEN-ThArb
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Based on OIG's investigative findings, OIG believes there is no basis to
indicate olated Titles 18 U.S.C. 1001 or 18 U.S.C. � 287. The
investigation did not establish that presented his degree to the Agency
following the settlement. In addition, the investigation did not establish that
was aware that was a fraudulent organization or that it was one
whose enrollment costs were ineligible for government reimbursement at the time he
sought partial reimbursement from the Agency. OIG is recommending no further
action and that the case be closed.
(b)(1)
(b)(3) CIAAct
(b)(3) NatSecAct
(b)(6)
(b)(7)(c)
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