The Office of Investigations (OI) carries out a comprehensive nationwide program to deter and detect illegal, improper, and prohibited activities involving LSC programs, operations, personnel, and other LSC-funded programs and activities. OI also seeks to disseminate information and conduct agile reviews that help LSC and its grantees be aware of, and proactively address, fraud risks.
The OI’s activities include:
- Investigations into Potential Violations. The OI conducts investigations of potential criminal violations and violations of LSC requirements, and works closely with federal, state, and local prosecutors to seek legal action and remedies, including restitution for our programs, as warranted.
- Fraud Prevention Reviews. The OI conducts fraud prevention reviews related to areas prone to fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, and non-compliance in an effort to assist grantees with preventing fraud and proactively addressing gaps in policies and processes. These reviews may also identify and disseminate good practices that other grantees could consider adopting to mitigate fraud risks.
- Fraud Awareness Presentations and Webinars. The OI conducts virtual and in-person Fraud Awareness Briefings that cover a variety of topics, such as who commits fraud; what conditions create an environment conducive to fraud; how fraud can be prevented or detected; examples from prior cases; and what to do if fraud is suspected. The OI welcomes requests for presentations from LSC, grantees, and other stakeholders.
- Fraud Advisories and Special Reports. The OI provides Fraud Advisories and other resources to LSC, grantees, and their stakeholders to promote awareness of fraud risks, common fraud schemes, and best practices.
- OIG Hotline. The OI manages the OIG Hotline, a means to receive allegations from LSC, grantees, and the public related to suspected fraud, waste, abuse, non-compliance, and mismanagement in LSC-funded programs or operations. Based on credible complaints, the OI may open an investigative case or refer an issue to LSC management for consideration.
When LSC Grantees Must Use the OIG Hotline + Hotline Posters
Legal Services Corporation Basic Field Grant Terms and Conditions (Grant Assurances) require grantees to notify the LSC OIG Hotline (800) 678-8868, (202) 295-1670, or hotline@oig.lsc.gov) before initiating any investigation into the matter and within two business days of
- Discovering information indicating that you have been the victim of a loss as a result of any willful misrepresentation or theft, fraud, misappropriation, or embezzlement, involving property, client funds, LSC funds, and/or non-LSC funds used for the provision of legal assistance;
- Reporting a crime to local, state, or federal law enforcement officials;
- Discovering that you have been the likely victim of a data breach or any other cyber incident (please note – the OIG can assist with alerting the FBI’s cyber-incident resources);
- Discovering that you have been the victim of theft or employee misconduct involving cash, credit cards, check stock, program revenue, expense reimbursements, time submissions, passwords, or electronic access codes; or
- Discovering that any of your key officials (including officers and directors) or employees are charged with fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, theft, or any similar offense, are suspended or disciplined by a professional licensing organization, or have been found to have acted in violation of your conflict of interest policy.
The OIG encourages grantees to remind employees of this requirement by hanging OIG Hotline posters in employee and client common areas throughout grantee main and branch offices.