Fraud, Waste and Abuse Research Project Essay -- Government Business A

Fraud, Waste and Abuse Research Project Combating fraud in the private sector is a difficult task. Trying to combat fraud in the public sector is daunting. In 1999 15.7% of the American workforce were employed by a government entity (federal, state, and local).[1] Mirroring society, government will have its share of perpetrators. The difference from the private sector is in the scope of the fraud committed, the loss of the public trust, the blaring headlines from news media, and difficulty in making necessary changes to combat the problems. A good definition of Fraud, Waste and Abuse (FWA) can be found in U.S. Air Force Regulations and can be applied to any government (or private) organization, it states: Fraud—â€Å"Any intentional deception designed to unlawfully deprive the Air Force of something of value or to secure from the Air Force for an individual a benefit, privilege, allowance, or consideration to which he or she is not entitled. Waste—‘The extravagant, careless, or needless expenditure of Air Force funds or the consumption of Air Force property that results from deficient practices, systems, controls, or decisions. The term also includes improper practices not involving prosecutable fraud. Abuse—‘Intentional, wrongful, or improper use of Air Force resources.†[2] Fighting abuse is not an easy prospect. Elected officials, executives, managers, staff, and the public must be vigilant and thorough. In this project we will review some specific cases of FWA. We will also explore why enacting laws and regulations isn’t enough to stop people from committing fraud. Educating people about what FWA is and why they should not commit these crimes should be an integral part of any FWA program. The Department... ...ublic Management class, CSU Dominguez Hills, April 24, 2001. [10] Project on Government Oversight. http://www.pogo.org/ [11] â€Å"Special Investigations Unit Report Regarding The Composite Center, Inc.† Texas State Auditor’s Office, Special Investigations Unit. Report Number 01-004, October 2000. [12] â€Å"Program Fraud†. The Last Word. November 2000, Volume 3, Number 4. [13] 9/2000 Major Criminal Tax Conviction in Trust Scam Case http://www.taxhound.com/ [14] â€Å"Union county woman convicted for Health Insurance Fraud.† Office of the Attorney General news release, March 22, 2000. [15] The False Claims Legal Act Center. http://www.taf.org/ [16] The Bauman & Rasor Group, Inc. http://www.quitam.com/ [17] Robert K. Elliot, CPA and John J. Willingham PhD, CPA, Management Fraud: Detection and Deterrence. New York: Petrocelli Books, Inc., 1980, pp. vii. Fraud, Waste and Abuse Research Project Essay -- Government Business A Fraud, Waste and Abuse Research Project Combating fraud in the private sector is a difficult task. Trying to combat fraud in the public sector is daunting. In 1999 15.7% of the American workforce were employed by a government entity (federal, state, and local).[1] Mirroring society, government will have its share of perpetrators. The difference from the private sector is in the scope of the fraud committed, the loss of the public trust, the blaring headlines from news media, and difficulty in making necessary changes to combat the problems. A good definition of Fraud, Waste and Abuse (FWA) can be found in U.S. Air Force Regulations and can be applied to any government (or private) organization, it states: Fraud—â€Å"Any intentional deception designed to unlawfully deprive the Air Force of something of value or to secure from the Air Force for an individual a benefit, privilege, allowance, or consideration to which he or she is not entitled. Waste—‘The extravagant, careless, or needless expenditure of Air Force funds or the consumption of Air Force property that results from deficient practices, systems, controls, or decisions. The term also includes improper practices not involving prosecutable fraud. Abuse—‘Intentional, wrongful, or improper use of Air Force resources.†[2] Fighting abuse is not an easy prospect. Elected officials, executives, managers, staff, and the public must be vigilant and thorough. In this project we will review some specific cases of FWA. We will also explore why enacting laws and regulations isn’t enough to stop people from committing fraud. Educating people about what FWA is and why they should not commit these crimes should be an integral part of any FWA program. The Department... ...ublic Management class, CSU Dominguez Hills, April 24, 2001. [10] Project on Government Oversight. http://www.pogo.org/ [11] â€Å"Special Investigations Unit Report Regarding The Composite Center, Inc.† Texas State Auditor’s Office, Special Investigations Unit. Report Number 01-004, October 2000. [12] â€Å"Program Fraud†. The Last Word. November 2000, Volume 3, Number 4. [13] 9/2000 Major Criminal Tax Conviction in Trust Scam Case http://www.taxhound.com/ [14] â€Å"Union county woman convicted for Health Insurance Fraud.† Office of the Attorney General news release, March 22, 2000. [15] The False Claims Legal Act Center. http://www.taf.org/ [16] The Bauman & Rasor Group, Inc. http://www.quitam.com/ [17] Robert K. Elliot, CPA and John J. Willingham PhD, CPA, Management Fraud: Detection and Deterrence. New York: Petrocelli Books, Inc., 1980, pp. vii.