Case Summaries

Fraudulent practices

An International Financial Institution which co-financed a project with ADB reported to OAI possible fraudulent practice and potential conflict of interest among an individual formerly engaged as a project adviser and team leader, with several firms and their proprietors that submitted bids and were awarded contracts under the project. OAI’s investigation found that such individual engaged in fraudulent practice when he omitted disclosing conflict of interest with these firms. OAI also found that the firms omitted disclosing their conflict of interest with one another to the EA and ADB to obtain contracts under the Project. 

On 22 February 2023, ADB’s Integrity Oversight Committee concurred with OAI’s findings and imposed a debarment period of 6 years on the individual project adviser and team leader, and 4 years on this individual’s brother and the firm owned by the latter. The IOC also imposed a minimum debarment period of 3 years to three other firms and individuals. The debarred parties are required to comply with reinstatement conditions before they may apply for reinstatement of their eligibility to participate in ADB-financed, administered, or supported activities.
 

Fraudulent practices

An International Financial Institution which co-financed a project with ADB reported to OAI possible fraudulent practice and potential conflict of interest among an individual formerly engaged as a project adviser and team leader, with several firms and their proprietors that submitted bids and were awarded contracts under the project. OAI’s investigation found that such individual engaged in fraudulent practice when he omitted disclosing conflict of interest with these firms. OAI also found that the firms omitted disclosing their conflict of interest with one another to the EA and ADB to obtain contracts under the Project. 

On 22 February 2023, ADB’s Integrity Oversight Committee concurred with OAI’s findings and imposed a debarment period of 6 years on the individual project adviser and team leader, and 4 years on this individual’s brother and the firm owned by the latter. The IOC also imposed a minimum debarment period of 3 years to three other firms and individuals. The debarred parties are required to comply with reinstatement conditions before they may apply for reinstatement of their eligibility to participate in ADB-financed, administered, or supported activities.
 

Sanction violation and fraudulent practice

OAI’s investigation established that the firm engaged in multiple integrity violations under two ADB projects by: (1) violating an ADB sanction when it participated in a bid with a joint venture partner that was debarred from participating in any ADB-related activity; and (2) committing fraudulent practice when it submitted falsified work experience documents in a bid for an ADB-financed contract.

On 31 January 2023, the IOC concurred with OAI’s findings of a sanction violation and fraudulent practice and debarred the firm for 4 years for engaging in multiple integrity violations. The firm’s debarment period commenced from the date of its temporary suspension on 22 December 2022.