The top watchdog over AmeriCorps has told Congress that he has found several cases of fraud in the national service program — but that prosecutors won't pursue them.
In some cases, the alleged fraud involves the misuse of more than $900,000. The acting inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service also says there's a "pattern" of volunteer fraud — grant recipients misusing their time, often for personal gain.
Investigators "continue to face challenges in having our investigations accepted" for prosecution, Kenneth Bach said in a December report. Federal prosecutors told him the cases "lack jury appeal" or don't meet a "dollar threshold."
. . . AmeriCorps is the largest and best-known program run by the $1.1 billion Corporation for National Service, spending $698 million to support 88,530 members who serve in poor communities.
. . . The previous inspector general, Gerald Wolpin, protested the settlement to the board that runs AmeriCorps. The next day, President Obama fired Wolpin, telling Congress he had lost confidence in him. Wolpin is appealing.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-02-08-fraud08_ST_N.htm
Procurement fraud and theft of government funds are not prosecuted, but the inspector general is fired for objecting to cronyism and corruption.
Meanwhile, it's safe to assume that all the "community partners" getting rich by stealing from this program supported Obama in 2008 and will be Obama supporters in 2012.
This proves it again - - the more government spending, the more waste and fraud.
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