A supervisor with the Miami Veterans Affairs Healthcare System is being investigated over allegations of approving false overtime hours for an employee in exchange for sexual favors, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday.
The investigation is being handled by the federal VA Office of Inspector General, according to the Miami VA Healthcare System’s public affairs officer Shane Suzuki, who referred all additional questions on the matter to that office. A spokesperson for the inspector general’s office said it does not confirm or deny investigations.
Suzuki said “the employee has been stripped of all supervisory responsibilities and is working in an administrative role with no patient interaction.”
“Immediately upon discovering these allegations, VA immediately reported them to the department’s independent inspector general, which is charged with investigating these types of matters,” Suzuki said in a statement. “VA ... will act accordingly when their investigation is concluded.“
Suzuki added: “We hope the independent IG’s investigation will yield detailed findings soon.”
Last month, federal prosecutors indicted employees at the Miami VA and West Palm Beach VA hospitals as well as the owners of local medical supply companies, accusing them of orchestrating a kickback scheme that netted the suppliers millions of dollars in proceeds while the VA employees pocketed thousands in bribes.
Five of the employees indicted worked at the Miami VA hospital, which cares for about 58,000 patients a year and serves Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
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