A Statement from the Deputy Inspector General - VA OIG Review of Anonymous Complaint Finds That Two VBA Senior Executives Inappropriately Used Their Positions for Personal and Financial Benefit, and That VBA Misused VA’s Relocation Program

A Statement from the Deputy Inspector General - VA OIG Review of Anonymous Complaint Finds That Two VBA Senior Executives Inappropriately Used Their Positions for Personal and Financial Benefit, and That VBA Misused VA’s Relocation Program

Washington, DC – The Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs requested the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigate allegations concerning financial benefits and preference given at VA. An anonymous complainant alleged that Ms. Diana Rubens, Philadelphia VA Regional Office (VARO) Director, improperly received $288,206.77 in relocation expenses for transferring from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Headquarters to her current position at the VARO and retained her high-level Senior Executive Service (SES) salary, despite the position being two levels lower on VA’s SES pay scale. We were also asked to conduct a broader review of VA’s Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Relocation program. Our investigation substantiated the allegations. The OIG issued its report http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-15-02997-526.pdf on September 28, 2015.