WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced a civil settlement agreement today involving Carleena Graham, the former Vice President of Human Resources for World Learning. Graham has agreed to pay $160,000 to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act, which stemmed from her submission of false invoices for reimbursement of personal expenses.
World Learning is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, dedicated to global development and educational exchange. It has received substantial funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of State, amounting to several million dollars through various contracts and grants. The allegations against Graham include orchestrating a scheme from 2015 to 2022 in which she submitted fraudulent invoices seeking reimbursement for hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses that did not benefit the organization.
According to the government’s findings, Graham arranged for goods and services to be delivered to third-party organizations while concurrently enabling World Learning to cover these costs through electronic transfers or the use of its credit cards. She further manipulated vendor invoices, making it appear as though the goods and services were intended for World Learning. This deceit not only affected the nonprofit’s finances but also misappropriated funds that were part of federal grants.
The settlement concludes a comprehensive investigation by the USAID Office of Inspector General and the State Department Office of Inspector General, which followed Graham’s guilty plea in the District of Vermont to a count of wire fraud. The civil case was managed by Assistant United States Attorney Sam Escher and Auditor Timothy J. Hurley, with significant contributions from special agents involved in the investigation.
It is important to note that the claims resolved by this civil settlement are allegations only, with no determination of liability made at this time. As the case unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the critical importance of accountability and transparency within organizations funded by taxpayer dollars in the District of Columbia.
Read the original article at usao