Annex 4: Summary of substantiated investigation cases in 2015, by type of allegation Regional Bureau Allegation Estimated Loss to UNDP Report sent to Status Assault & Threat 1 Africa (Other UN Agency) Staff member allegedly struck another staff member on the cheek during an argument that took place on the organization’s premises. No financial loss to the Organization. LO Staff member was separated from service with 1-month compensation in lieu of notice. 2 Europe and the CIS Service contractor allegedly engaged in a physical altercation with another individual in the parking lot of the building from which UNDP operates. No financial loss to the Organization. CO Subject resigned. 3 HQ Staff member allegedly grabbed the arm and pushed another staff member into a third staff member’s office in front of other colleagues. No financial loss to the Organization. LO Under Review. Entitlements 4 Africa Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. Alleged fraud detected before payment. CO Subject’s contract was terminated 5 Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. $4,179.32 ($2,416.59 recovered) CO Subject’s contract was terminated 6 Staff member allegedly undertook full-time employment elsewhere whilst employed by No financial loss to the Organization. LO Under review.
UNDP and on paid annual/sick/maternity leave. 7 Africa (Other UN Agency) Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. Alleged fraud detected before payment. CO Subject’s contract was terminated 8 Arab States Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. Alleged detected before payment. CO Under review. 9 Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. Alleged fraud detected before payment. CO Subject’s contract was terminated 10 Asia and the Pacific Staff member allegedly misrepresented the date of his divorce to OHR and used his influence to make someone alter his divorce decree to avoid having to repay UNDP for dependency allowances wrongly paid to him. $10,862.45 LO Under review. 11 Staff member allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. $10,962.00 (recovered) LO member resigned. A letter was placed in member’s file pursuant to Art. 72(a) of the UNDP Legal Framework. 12 Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. $717 (recovered) CO Staff member has been informed that his contract will not be renewed upon its expiry 13 Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. Alleged fraud detected before payment. CO Subject’s contract was not renewed due to lack of funding. 14 Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. $202.97 (recovered) CO review. 15 Europe and the CIS Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. $2,045.58 CO Subject’s contract was not renewed due to project closure. 16 Latin America and the Caribbean Service contractor allegedly submitted fraudulent medical insurance claims. $600.00 CO Subject’s contract was not renewed Failure to comply with law/abuse of privileges and immunities 17 Latin America and the Caribbean UN Agency) Staff member was allegedly in possession of baked goods containing an illicit drug on UN premises and gave some to a colleague, only informing the colleague of its content after they had eaten it. No financial loss to the Organization. LO Staff member was dismissed. Request sent to LO for referral to national authorities, through UN OLA. Misrepresentation, forgery and certification 18 Africa Staff member allegedly used falsified documents, bearing UNDP’s letterhead and stamp, in order to obtain a personal loan from a bank. No financial loss to the Organization. LO member was separated from Service with 1-month compensation in lieu of notice.
19 Staff member allegedly colluded with vendors and created false documentation to obtain payments, destructed official documentation, and was found guilty of use of counterfeit documents and theft by a national court. $968,564.48 LO Staff member was dismissed. 20 Vendors allegedly colluded with a UNDP member to obtain payments using fake documentation. $467,210.66 (already reported under line 19) VRC Under review. 21 22 23 Vendor allegedly colluded with a UNDP staff member to obtain payments using fake documentation. $120,481.23 (already reported under line 19) VRC Under review. 24 Vendor allegedly colluded with a UNDP staff member to obtain payments using fake documentation. $380,872.59 (already reported under line 19) VRC Under review. 25 Arab States Vendor allegedly misled UNDP in its submission of financial reports, which included forged bank statements, and refused to account for funds disbursed. Unknown VRC Under review. 26 Asia and the Pacific Employees of an implementing partner allegedly forged flight tickets to claim travel costs. Unknown RB UNDP liaised with implementing partner on this issue. Misuse of UNDP Resources 27 Africa Service contractor allegedly failed to cooperate with an investigation. Issues with the implementation of contracts were found. No financial loss to the Organization. CO review. 28 America and the Caribbean (Other UN Agency) UN Volunteer allegedly used official UNDP equipment to download and access child pornography. No financial loss to the Organization. UNV APDM UNV was dismissed. Referral made to national authorities. failure to comply with obligations 29 Africa member allegedly did not disclose a business partnership during procurement processes through which his partner obtained contracts with the Organization, breached the Financial Disclosure policy, intervened in procurement processes to give unfair advantage to friends, and interfered in the recruitment of several employees. Unknown. LO Under review. 30 Asia and the Pacific Staff member allegedly did not seek permission to undertake outside employment while on SLWOP and made No financial loss to the Organization. LO review.
43 Staff member allegedly engaged in improper contact with a vendor during an ongoing UNDP procurement process. Unknown. LO Staff member was exonerated. 44 Staff member allegedly gave improper advice and confidential information in order to provide vendors with a competitive advantage. Unknown. LO Under review. 45 Latin America and the Caribbean Vendor allegedly claimed expenditures based on incomplete, inconsistent and fictitious documents. Unknown. VRC review. Retaliation against whistleblowers 46 Asia and the Pacific Staff member alleged retaliation. No financial loss to the Organization. Ethics Office Ethics Office made its independent determination that no retaliation existed, and issued appropriate recommendations. 47 HQ Staff member alleged retaliation. No financial loss to the Organization. Ethics Office Ethics Office made its independent determination that the complainant did suffer retaliation, and issued appropriate recommendations. Sexual exploitation and abuse 48 Asia and the Pacific Service contractor allegedly sexually harassed, abused, and assaulted a colleague of the opposite sex. No financial loss to the Organization. CO Subject resigned. Theft and embezzlement 49 Africa UN Agency) Staff member allegedly modified a receipt for the purchase of a plane ticket for another staff member’s personal travel and retained the excess amount. No financial loss to the Organization. LO Under review. 50 Arab States A UNDP vendor that also received funds from another UN agency allegedly submitted fraudulent documentation to substantiate receipt and expenditure of grant funds, resulting in a loss of $1,789,889 to the other agency. No financial loss to the Organization. VRC Under review. ALS = Administrative Law Section BDP = Bureau for Development Policy CO = Country Office LO = Legal Office OHRM = Office of Human Resources Management OLA = Office of Legal Affairs UNV = United Nations Volunteers VRC = Vendor Review Committee