State Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline and Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Can FOIA requests be made for State Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline (Hotline) cases?

Upon request, documentation may be provided for Hotline FOIA requests following the FOIA guidelines found in Code of Virginia Title 2.2 Administration of Government, Chapter 37—Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

• If an allegation was substantiated and corrective action was taken, the Hotline FOIA requestor may receive a copy of the final investigative report that:
• Includes the agency name.
• Includes the identity of the person(s) who is/are the subject(s) of the allegation.
• Lists the nature of the allegation.
• Redacts the names of witnesses or others not involved in the allegation.
• If an allegation was unsubstantiated; or an allegation was unsubstantiated and OSIG made recommendations, but no corrective action was taken against the subject, the Hotline FOIA requestor may receive a copy of the investigative report that has certain information redacted as required by FOIA and may only release the identity of the subject of the allegation with the subject’s consent.

To make a Hotline FOIA request, please contact the State Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline Coordinator using one of the following methods.

• Mailing Address
  Attention: State Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline FOIA 
  PO Box 1151
  Richmond, VA 23218
  
  
• Fax
  (804) 371-0165 (Include fax coversheet stating “State Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline FOIA Request”)
  
  
• Email
  COVHotline@osig.virginia.gov (Include in the subject line: “State Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline FOIA Request”)
  
  
• State Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline Toll-Free Phone Number 
  (800) 723-1615 (No voicemail, no caller ID)

A case number is not required to have a Hotline FOIA request fulfilled; however, a case number may be helpful for locating the desired documents or records. As with an OSIG FOIA request, a Hotline FOIA request must identify the desired records with “reasonable specificity.”

More information about FOIA is available in Code of Virginia Chapter 37—Virginia Freedom of Information Act, by visiting the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council website, and by visiting the OSIG  page.