Mission: Information & Science
Tracking active cases for Information & Science.
Systemic Fraud Waste in Federal No-Bid Contracts and Grants
GAO's FY2024 improper payments report estimates $162 billion in errors across federal programs, a persistent high-risk area per the 2025 High-Risk List, confirming weak controls enable waste and fraud. HHS OIG's February 2026 audit exposes ACF's $529 million sole-source contract for unaccompanied alien children services as noncompliant, based on an unsolicited proposal double the cost estimate with procurement violations. Additional cases include SBA 8(a) no-bid bribery conviction, GSA invalid $13.7M sole-source, and Medicare improper payments of $22.7M, underscoring continued vulnerabilities in grants and contracts despite prior warnings.
Widespread Data Manipulation and Retractions in Scientific Publications
Since early February 2026, new developments include Elsevier's Heliyon retracting 37 additional papers in 2026 amid an ongoing audit uncovering citation stacking and peer review compromise, following Clarivate's hold since 2024. ASTM's Journal of Testing and Evaluation reached 166 retractions by February 12 with enhanced safeguards against compromised peer review. Wolters Kluwer flagged 126 papers in Medicine on February 20 due to suspicious protocols. The International Journal of Obesity retracted a GLP-1 weight loss study on February 23 after statistical review found unsubstantiated claims. These updates affirm improved detection via PubPeer, audits, and editorial scrutiny, with no evidence of escalating fraud.