As Mario Trujillo at The Hill writes,
A government watchdog is calling on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to review its policies after an investigation found the agency paid a patent examiner $25,500 for time spent allegedly doing other things, like golfing or playing pool.
The fraud was uncovered with typical federal alacrity as an investigation found the employee’s work dropped off significantly starting in 2012, and that he received the lownest performance ratings and nine warnings in the three subsequent years as an
investigation found the employee’s work dropped off significantly starting in 2012, and that he received the lowest performance ratings and nine warnings in the three subsequent years.
When things finally got too hot for our civil servant, he resigned
… at the advice of a union representative
Meanwhile
The inspector general’s office referred the alleged time abuse to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Virginia, which did not pursue any charges.
The IG also
… advised the PTO to explore other legal avenues to recover the $25,500.
Lots of luck with that, one thinks. They might have to find a hustler who can get it back from the guy on the golf course playing an $8,500 dollar Nassau.
