Whistleblower Exposes Timecard Fraud Scheme At Hanford

Hanford Nuclear Site Contractor Accused of Fraudulent Billing Practices  

A federal investigation has been launched into a contractor at the Hanford nuclear site, Hanford Mission Integration Support, or HMIS, over allegations of a timecard fraud scheme that may have cost taxpayers millions. 

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Allegations of Fraudulent Practices 

According to Whistleblower Bradley Keever, an HMIS employee, the company ordered workers to bill for 10-hour workdays regardless of the work done, thereby often inflating hours for little or no work. Examples of the alleged fraudulent billing include: 

• Billing hours for "training" sessions with no actual activities. 
• Billing 14-minute tasks as two-hour assignments. 
• Entire days spent idle or watching movies. 

Wasteful assignments, such as washing trucks several times a week for employees who never or seldom took them out. 

Safety Oversight Failures 

Complementing the financial misconduct charges were allegations of safety breaches at the most contaminated nuclear facility in the United States. Maintenance deficiencies purportedly involved: 

• Fire suppression systems left unchecked, with some equipment rated as inoperable 
• Pipes not inspected, some of which had seen no scrutiny for years. 

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board noted other hazards, warning the failures could heighten the consequences of fire emergencies, as well as the spread of radioactive and chemical waste. 

Whistleblower's Account 

Keever, who is protected from reprisal under the Whistleblower Protection Act, referred to the HMIS culture as "lying, cheating, and stealing from taxpayers." He said he and his colleagues were ready to work but had nothing significant to do and thus wasted a lot of time. 

Contractor's Response 

HMIS has accepted the charges and vowed to cooperate with further investigations by the DOJ, DOE, and Office of Inspector General. In a statement, the contractor vowed to work towards productivity enhancement to assuage concerns. 

Legal and Financial Implications 

The DOJ has filed a formal complaint detailing the fraud as a pattern of overcharging the DOE. The case, involving millions in squandered taxpayer money, is set for trial in September 2025. A settlement could be reached before the trial starts.