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Ethical PM question.

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Jeffrey Wexler Owner / Sr. Project Manager| EZ EHR Consulting Mahwah, Nj, United States
Should I divulge blatant, fraudulent invoicing to a client that I represent on the Healthcare side as their PM where the invoicing is for construction of their facility? There is a construction PM who is not informing the higher executives of this attempt to scam the client but is it my responsibility to stick my nose in something I am not really involved in? Don't want to be looked at as negligent just because I am not the actual PM on that end of the project.
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Mayte Mata Sivera PMO Leader | Speaker | Author Ut, United States
Jan 11, 2017 12:42 PM
Replying to Stéphane Parent
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The problem, Adel, is that you may not have access to the invoices or other supporting documentation. In this scenario, it would look suspicious for the informer to look at invoices for a project they don't belong. It could even create its own ethical problem!
Agree Stéphane, usually invoices with clients is confidential information.
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Jeffrey Wexler Owner / Sr. Project Manager| EZ EHR Consulting Mahwah, Nj, United States
Thank you everyone for your responses. I did have the actual bills that are blatantly evidence of a major problem. Just as an FYI I had asked the client to escalate through the construction manager to his superiors but they seemed either in shock or did not know how to handle it surprisingly. I woke up without even looking at any responses and immediately shared the evidence and knowledge to the PMO Director and it went up the chain to the top of several different entities as this in a healthcare environment and partially state funded and could not only be fraud at the local level but at the state level.

Of course the PMO director and others were very happy that others share in the knowledge and yes I would have not brought this to light unless I had physical evidence. I knew about this, was aware of the issue, was allowing the construction PM to try and handle it but when another week of meetings and evidence now in my hand I could not sit on it anymore.

Lessons learned:
Allow the primary PM to try and handle it.
Gather solid evidence.
And do be ethical in reporting something that you feel should be reported.

Remember most importantly before you do anything CYA with solid, indisputable evidence. Now it is on others hands, and I feel good no matter what the final results. Never thought I would personally see the proverbial $7000 hammer that we hear about in government contracts.
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Jeffrey Wexler Owner / Sr. Project Manager| EZ EHR Consulting Mahwah, Nj, United States
Jan 11, 2017 9:28 AM
Replying to Stéphane Parent
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I disagree, Adel. It is not your job to investigate claims of fraud. Your job is to inform the correct office - comptroller, ombudsperson, .... The office will do the investigation.

Obviously, you must be sufficiently certain that there is something to report. But nosing around trying to dig up stuff could hurt you and the company.

Unless your reporting manager is involved, it is a good practice to bring it to her attention.
I absolutely agree. I never would have investigated. You have to wait to have the evidence presented to you as you/I could have gotten into so much trouble if it is not true and could create more damage than good.

Patience is a virtue for all of us and as long as there is not major damage along the way it is best for more and more evidence to surface so there is no possible issue of impropriety.
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