My direct supervisor, the one that got me fired and then was arrested,
allegedly fraudulently took my funds on two occasions. Here I was, without a job and no source of income and re-imbursement
money that was rightfully mine was deposited into his bank account via NRC accounting's direct deposit.
During one of his many periods of being unaccountably missing from
the office at NRC region 4's IT department, I was challenged to make a command decision. His boss called and directed
me to video tape an important presentation the following morning, as camera man. Preparing for the job, I discovered that
the supply of video tape had been depleted. I tried to contact my supervisor to advise him of the situation, and he
couldn't be found. He was supposed to be at work, and yet he wasn't. I took the initiative of stopping by the
store, on my own time after work, and purchased the tapes with my own personal credit card.
I taped the presentation and discussed my purchase with my supervisor after the
fact. I did what I had to do in order to tape the event and make his boss happy. He told me he would submit a
claim to the buyer and she would re-imburse me.
I waited and waited, and no reimbursement was forth coming. One day I observed
the purchasing lady come by our office and motion for my supervisor to come outside and meet with her. We were all in
a morning staff meeting and from where I was sitting I could see them and hear their conversation. She told him that
it was inappropriate for him to turn in a claim for reimbursement of funds for a contractor and that policy would only permit
funds for re-imbursement to be deposited to his personal bank account via direct NRC deposit. He appeared
to be angry and told her to "just do it" anyway. She stormed off and he returned to our meeting as though nothing had
happened. Way to go Carol!
My supervisor never said a word to me about my money. He had done this to
me before, and I let it go. Contractors for a government agency walk a thin line and we can't afford to anger or embarrass
our NRC supervisors and open ourselves up for retaliation against our contracting companies, or ourselves.
Shortly after this supervisor fired me in retaliation for making allegations of
felony criminal activity against him, the credit card bill with the charges for the NRC's video tape came to my house and
was opened by my wife. She was furious! My kind, even tempered sweet little "high school sweetheart" wife of 33 years
was livid! Here we were, wondering how we were going to pay for next weeks groceries after I had lost my job, and my
NRC boss was probably buying his groceries with my re-imbursement money. Money which he had recently pocketed.
Some things are just not fair in life and this was one of them.
I wrote a letter to the lady in charge of finances at the NRC region 4 offices
explaining the whole situation in great detail with enclosed copies of sales receipts and charge card invoices. She
totally ignored my request for her help in resolving the situation. It has been over three years now, and I'm still waiting
to hear from her. Thanks Nancy!
I then reported this abuse to the office of The Inspector General Hubert T. Bells
Office. The investigator looked into it and told me that since it was not for a large sum of money that they would not
prosecute to recover my money. He stated that they had much more serious charges to "get" him on. That was well and
good, but the amount which was equal to about a weeks groceries was still in the crooks pocket and not in mine. I had
no job, while he was on administrative leave collecting his full NRC region 4 Branch Chief 's salary.
A FOIA (freedom of information act) request turned up a document that was in email
form that proved that his boss, Kathleen Hammil, was notified that she should look into the matter. Note:
prior text was paraphrased with actual document to be posted to this site after proper processing.
Guess what? Three years later absolutely nothing has been done about this
alleged theft. She has since been "retired" from her post at the NRC region 4 offices in Arlington, Texas leaving my
money in her friends pocket. The thing that is hard for me to live with is that my supervisor was allowed to fire me,
and then he had the opportunity to eat my groceries. And... they let him!
I took this very, very hard. After all this, I had to seek medical
help for clinical depression and stress induced diabetes. My health has greatly deteriated and I owe it all to the NRC.
Where's my money today? The
NRC financial lady ignored and never responded to my formal letter of request to her (Letter to be posted for you
to read in the near future). Kathleen Hammil, by all appearances never did anything about it, even though she was
requested by Patrick Gwynne, Deputy Regional Administrator, to do so in an email obtained via FOIA... and, the
OIG's investigator wanted to wait for a "bigger fish" to fry. The OIG investigator told me that he called and emailed
Patrick Gwynne, Deputy Regional Administrator at the NRC region 4 offices in Arlington, Texas and asked him to see that my
money was returned to me . (email to be posted for you to read in the near future). I also know that Pat
emailed Kathleen Hammil and asked her to look into the matter of my money being taken. (Email to be posted
for you to read in the near future).
Pat! It's been over three years now!
I am Still Waiting for Your Call!
Actually, don't even bother. If you ever do anything, or
hear anything about my money, please call my attorney in Washington, D.C.. I believe you have met her at
a legal proceeding or two. I hear that the depositions get easier the more you do of them. I feel sure you will get the opportunity
for muchmore practice in the future.
Where's My Money Now?
Guess you'll just have to ask Dean Papa.
Only he apparently knows. After all, he took it, didn't he?
