Investigations
Purpose of Investigations
The purpose of an investigation is to examine and determine the veracity of allegations of prohibited practices such as fraud or corruption including related misconduct on the part of Bank staff in the Bank or Bank-financed projects.
Areas of Investigative Focus
IACD receives allegations and registers them and then conducts preliminary evaluations to determine the merits of the allegations. When the allegations are found to have merit, IACD conducts full investigation. The results are submitted to the President of the Bank if the allegations are substantiated.
Investigative focus will include:
- Fraud, corruption and related staff misconduct
- Bribery, kickbacks
- Whistleblower or complainant retaliation
- Theft and embezzlement
- Coercive practices
- Collusive practices
- Misuse of Bank Group funds
Results of IACD Investigations
The standard of proof that shall be used to determine whether a complaint is substantiated, is defined for the purposes of an investigation as information that, as a whole, shows that something is more probable than not.
The conclusions of IACD investigations are submitted to the President of the Bank and may have the following impact:
- Project: The Bank may suspend or cancel projects or request the borrower to return funds spent on a particular contract or project affected by fraud, corruption or other prohibited practices.
- Staff: The Bank may take appropriate personnel actions in cases in which Bank staff is involved in wrongdoing.
- Contractors: The Bank may declare companies or individuals found to have engaged in prohibited practices ineligible to be awarded future Bank-financed contracts, either indefinitely or for a defined period.
In addition, the Bank may submit its findings to the appropriate authorities of a member country’s government for appropriate criminal proceedings.
