Reports

02.29.2024

Two Southeastern Colorado Farmers Sentenced to Federal Prison and Will Pay Over $6.5 Million for Defrauding Federal Crop Insurance Programs

DENVER—U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan announced today that Patrick Esch and Ed Dean Jagers of Springfield, Colorado, have agreed to pay over $6.5 million to resolve allegations that they defrauded federal crop insurance programs by tampering with and damaging rain gauges.

02.29.2024

Management Alert – Challenges Industry Stakeholders Face with Broadband Deployment

Attached is a management alert about the challenges industry stakeholders are facing to deploy broadband to underserved and unserved communities.

Report Number OIG-24-015-M

02.29.2024

FY 2024 USPTO Financial Statements Audit

Our office contracted with KPMG LLP (KPMG), an independent certified public accounting firm, to audit the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO's) fiscal year 2024 financial statements.

02.29.2024

FY 2024 Departmental Financial Statements Audit

Our office contracted with KPMG LLP (KPMG), an independent certified public accounting firm, to audit the U.S. Department of Commerce's (the Department's) fiscal year 2024 consolidated financial statements.

02.23.2024

McLean Man Pleads Guilty in COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A McLean man pleaded guilty today to defrauding the Small Business Administration by fraudulently obtaining approximately $455,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds.

02.22.2024

The Department Needs to Improve Oversight to Ensure the Success of Its Financial System Modernization

Attached is our final report on the audit of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Business Applications Solution (BAS) program.

Report Number OIG-24-014-A

02.15.2024

USPTO Quality Reviews of Continuing Patent Applications

We are initiating an audit of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO's) quality review process for continuing patent applications.

02.14.2024

The Department Needs to Strengthen Its Ethics Oversight for USPTO Patent Examiners

Attached for your review is our final report on our evaluation of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO's) and the U.S. Department of Commerce's (the Department's) ethics oversight of USPTO patent examiners.

Report Number OIG-24-013-I

02.08.2024

Readout: Justice Department's Procurement Collusion Strike Force Holds Summit in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – The United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, and the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) today hosted a summit where procurement officials and law enforcement partners from across Southern California convened to discuss emerging threats and raise awareness.

02.06.2024

Semiannual Status Report on NTIA's Broadband Programs

We are initiating semiannual evaluations of the status of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA's) broadband grant programs.

Report Number OIG-24-012-I