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The Fugitive Felon Benefits Adjustment Process Needs Better Monitoring

Report Information

Issue Date
Report Number
21-02401-190
VA Office
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Report Author
Office of Audits and Evaluations
Report Type
Review
Recommendations
3
Questioned Costs
$0
Better Use of Funds
$0
Congressionally Mandated
No

Summary

Summary
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this review to determine whether the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) accurately adjusted compensation and pension benefit payments for fugitive felons as mandated by law. If VBA does not adjust payments, veterans who are fugitive felons will continue to receive benefits during periods of ineligibility. Routinely, the OIG provides VBA with a list of individuals with felony arrest warrants gathered from federal and local law enforcement agencies. After the passage of the Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001, VBA interpreted the law to presume that all veterans for whom a felony arrest warrant had been issued were fugitives in a flight status. In April 2012, VBA instructed regional offices to postpone making decisions on fugitive felon cases while it prepared new guidance. During 2012 and 2013, VBA did not process fugitive felon cases. In June 2014, VBA updated its definition of a fugitive felon to include only referrals indicating escape, flight, or violation of the conditions of probation or parole. Although VBA then resumed adjusting payments, it did not review the unprocessed 2012 and 2013 cases. In addition, due to inadequate monitoring, VBA did not process about 46 percent of cases referred by the OIG in 2019 and 2020. Finally, the team found VBA’s notification letters to veterans providing notice of the proposed action and right to a hearing did not always provide the required information. Most commonly, VBA failed to include the reason for the issuance of the arrest warrant. VBA concurred with the OIG’s three recommendations to (1) improve monitoring procedures, (2) review unprocessed felony referrals, and (3) update fugitive felon letters with required information. Based on the information provided by VBA on the actions taken to address these recommendations, the OIG considers recommendation 2 closed.

Open Recommendation Image, SquareOpenClosed and Implemented Recommendation Image, CheckmarkClosed-ImplementedNot Implemented Recommendation Image, X character'Closed-Not Implemented
No. 1
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Improve monitoring procedures and demonstrate progress toward ensuring all felony referrals are processed.
No. 2
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Update fugitive felon letters and ensure they are consistently sent with all required information.
No. 3
Open Recommendation Image, Square
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Review unprocessed felony referrals identified in this report, take corrective action as needed, and report the efforts taken to the OIG.