Transparency data
FCO counter fraud cases 2016 to 2017
Updated 1 November 2017
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| Date | Location | Allegation | Resolution (inc any sanctions) | Gross loss to FCO (GBP) | Lessons Learned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr-16 | Americas | A member of staff was accepting cash for visas. | Passed to the Home Office as relates to their activity at Post i.e. Entry Clearance staff. | None | N/A |
| Apr-16 | Europe | Officer used their corporate credit card for their normal work commuter rail ticket because they had no personal money with them to pay for a ticket. One off transaction (£17.20). | Advice issued to the officer regarding the correct use of the corporate credit card. Money recovered. | None | N/A |
| Apr-16 | Middle East / North Africa | A member of staff was colluding with suppliers and adding a 4% surcharge to invoices for use of the Government Procurement Card. They were found in possession of blank supplier invoices. | Allegation investigated and a Disciplinary Panel was convened but the officer resigned during the disciplinary process once confronted with the allegations. | Unable to confirm amount | N/A |
| Apr-16 | Americas | Following the death of an employee at a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) which was acting as an implementer for FCO programme funds, a discrepancy of £375 was discovered in the NGO accounts. | No evidence of fraud found. Local police investigated the death and did not find any money or receipts with the body. As no evidence found of what happened to the money, discrepancy was written off. | £375 | Steps taken to reduce the amount of cash-in-hand going forward used by the NGO. NGO staff now draw cash weekly rather than monthly and the possibility of having a debit card/or cards set up for the bank account to further reduce the cash required is being explored. |
| Apr-16 | Europe | An Income Generation customer has not paid their invoice (£300) for use of Embassy property for the hosting of an event. | Pursuit of the company for payment of the outstanding amount has so far been unsuccessful but continues. | £300 | The Embassy failed to comply with guidance and obtain payment in advance from the customer. Embassy will in future comply fully with procedures for any Income Generation activity. |
| Apr-16 | Eastern Europe / Central Asia | Discrepancies were identified on financial reports from a project implementer. | The Embassy sought explanations for the discrepancies from the implementer and these were satisfactorily explained. | None | N/A |
| Apr-16 | Asia Pacific | A member of staff had been lent money by a local businessman – who then sought to persuade them to influence the auction of an official vehicle to recover these funds. | Allegation put to member of staff who promptly resigned after also admitting using an official FCO receipt book to give the business man a receipt for the money loaned. | None | N/A |
| May-16 | Eastern Europe / Central Asi | Small cash loss discovered, following a protracted problem with access to the cash box held in the safe. | Advice was issued to the Embassy and the loss was written off. | £88.00 | N/A |
| Jun-16 | South Asia / Afghanistan | Project implementer being paid by FCO and another sponsors for the same work. | Project was delivered and FCO received what they paid for. | None | FCO as a whole to consider how they liaise with other funding providers to ensure further double funding does not occur. |
| Jun-16 | Africa | Generator fuel estimated at less than £1000 was identified as missing from a tank at a staff residential property. | Unable to identify how fuel went missing or who took it. | £1000 (estimated) | Procedures for storing fuel were reviewed and tightened. |
| Jun-16 | Africa | A project was double funded for a month by two separate teams. | Not fraud as the double funding was unintentional and there is no evidence this was at the instigation of the recipients. Advice issued and two programme funds to assess recovery. | TBC | Action considered to strengthen communication in country between different programme fund providers to ensure this is not repeated. |
| Jun-16 | Africa | A Staff Social Club didn’t have enough money to pay immediate bills or the terminal gratuities of Club employees should their employment be terminated. Financial mismanagement by club staff was also suspected. | Advice given on how financial mismanagement by club staff could be investigated and identified by Post. The Resource Management Department were made aware and are working with the Embassy to advise and resolve the problems. As the club is not part of the Embassy account, the FCO has no financial liability. | None | N/A |
| Jun-16 | Europe | Issues were raised with Department for International Trade relating to the work of a Programme Implementer. | Post commissioned an external audit into the implementers work and was satisfied with the results and findings of this audit. | None | N/A |
| Jun-16 | Americas | Exploitation of exchange rate changes from a British Forces Posted Overseas ATM. | No fraud. Staff written too to remind them that using this service to benefit from a preferential exchange rate is a breach of the Civil Service Code. | None | N/A |
| Jul-16 | Africa | Abuse of position by Protocol Officer by using the name of the British Embassy to gain tax exemptions and avoid customs scrutiny on personally shipped containers. | Officer resigned immediately before the issue came to light and went into hiding. Local authorities were alerted and are investigating. | None | Steps taken to limit who can authorise and issue Notes Verbale and regular checks of serial numbers of Notes Verbale undertaken. |
| Aug-16 | Asia Pacific | A phone call was received by a member of the public after payment was made and documents submitted for a visa application. The person said they were from the Embassy and asked for money to speed through the application. | Passed to the Home Office to investigate as this relates to Entry Clearance. | None | N/A |
| Aug-16 | Africa | Concerns over issues relating to financial management by a Programme implementer. | Advice issued related to progressing the project and to commission an external audit. | None | Programme management capacity has been strengthened along with the systems for making payments to the implementer. |
| Aug-16 | Middle East / North Africa | There has been a lack of competition on some procurement and contracts have been let a company owned by the family of an officer, with no declaration of interest being made by the officer. | Allegations were investigated and found to have substance. One officer was dismissed and one was cleared on lack of evidence, but subsequently applied for and was granted early retirement. | Unable to confirm amount | N/A |
| Aug-16 | Middle East / North Africa | A project implementer was accused of falsifying project claims documentation. | Documentation was reviewed by the Embassy. Nothing was found to support the accusation. | None | N/A |
| Aug-16 | Americas | An officer at an Embassy had let contracts to a company which he had an interest in but hadn’t declared this interest. | No evidence found to support the allegation. No material spend undertaken with the supplier in question. | None | N/A |
| Sep-16 | Eastern Europe / Central Asia | Conflict Stabilisation and Security Fund Project. Embassy staff identified some invoice anomalies in the project finances. | The Embassy investigated and questioned the implementer. As a result, they were satisfied that there was no impropriety. | None | N/A |
| Oct-16 | Middle East / North Africa | Use of an official vehicle for personal journeys for self and family without reimbursing the Embassy for this. | Officer concerned was advised of the correct rules for use of official vehicles for personal use and the need for reimbursement for the cost of this if appropriate. | None | N/A |
| Oct-16 | United Kingdom | A concern was raised about an officer and their role in the oversight of the nursery based at an FCO location and a perceived control weakness in the nursery’s financial processes. | As the Nursery is a separate entity not connected to the FCO, the allegation was forwarded to OFSTED who are the supervising authority. | None | N/A |
| Oct-16 | Eastern Europe / Central Asia | An Estate Agent was taking kickbacks from buyers relating to sale of an FCO property. | Person making allegation withdrew it as they had misinterpreted having to pay a deposit if the bid was accepted as the Estate Agent asking for a kickback to secure the sale. | None | N/A |
| Oct-16 | South Asia / Afghanistan | UK based officer was claiming allowances after leaving Post. | Allegation was investigated and disproved. | None | N/A |
| Nov-16 | Middle East / North Africa | Officer sold his car to Post following false claim that it was approved by the Deputy Head of Post. | Investigation is ongoing. | TBC | N/A |
| Nov-16 | Africa | A member of staff was facilitating visas to the UK for inappropriate people. | Visa issue. Passed to the Home Office. | None | N/A |
| Nov-16 | Africa | Officer made a payment on a contract six months after the contract had ended. | No fraud identified. This was a procedural issue. Officer was spoken to. | None | N/A |
| Nov-16 | Africa | Officer was committing a fraud relating to pre paid electricity. | Officer absconded and was dismissed in their absence. | Unable to confirm amount | N/A |
| Jan-17 | Africa | Fraud relating to purchase of generator fuel. | Officer dismissed and police investigation ongoing | £195,000 (verified) additional £110,000 (estimated) | Procedures around fuel ordering / delivery have been tightened. |
| Jan-17 | Middle East / North Africa | An officer was taking bribes / kickbacks for letting contracts on behalf of the FCO. | Unable to obtain any evidence to support allegation. All staff involved in procurement were spoken to and reminded that we will consider reporting any instances of this to the local authorities if there is any proof found. To protect the individual mentioned in the allegation they were removed from any future procurement activity. | Not set | All existing contractors were spoken to and emailed at senior level to reiterate FCO policy on reporting any companies who paid bribes/kickbacks for contracts and to make clear the FCO system of bidding for contracts is based on transparency and fair conduct. |
| Jan-17 | South Asia / Afghanistan | Works staff at the Embassy were mis-declaring material as scrap and then selling it on privately. | To be looked at as part of an upcoming visit to the Embassy as materiality of any losses does not warrant a visit in its own right. | TBC | N/A |
| Jan-17 | Africa | Submission by an officer of duplicate and false claims for reimbursement. | The officer as dismissed and reported to the local police for investigation and prosecution. | £16,000 (estimated) | N/A |
| Feb-17 | Asia Pacific | A locally employed PAG member of staff was living in UK based officer accommodation. | Advice was given to the Embassy. There is no loss to the FCO. | None | N/A |
| Feb-17 | Americas | Cash loss of £2000 from the cashbox. | Unable to identify how cash went missing. Cash written off. | £2,000 | Procedures around the secure storage and access to the cashbox have been tightened. |
| Feb-17 | Asia Pacific | False invoices submitted to facilitate manipulation of accounts. No personal gain for the officer. | Internal disciplinary processes were completed. | None | N/A |
| Feb-17 | South Asia / Afghanistan | Allegation of fraud being committed by an implementer in an external audit report. | Content that the issues advised by the auditor have been explained. No fraud | None | N/A |
| Feb-17 | Africa | Applicant used a staff member as a reference for a visa. | Investigated and applicant had used the name falsely. No issue here for FCO. | None | N/A |
| Mar-17 | Americas | Non compliance with FCO travel guidance. | Non-compliance with expenses guidance identified. Officer offered advice on correct procedures. | None | N/A |