SEVILLE – An official in the Andalucian Health Service (SAS) was found by the anti-fraud bureau to have illegitimately obtained his role as an administrative assistant. Moreover, he was granted unauthorised allowances for evening, weekend, and public holiday shifts he never worked.
For a significant duration, this official served as the Director of Economic Administration for the Osuna Health Area in Seville. Furthermore, these discrepancies, among others, were uncovered by the Andalucian Anti-Fraud Bureau (OAAF). The OAAF was specifically established by Andalucia’s former government to detect fraudulent activities within public entities. Individuals can anonymously, or otherwise, report suspicions to this bureau.
The aforementioned malpractice was discovered following a complaint by a union representative, Francisco Espada, who had earlier flagged similar infractions but to no avail. However, according to El Mundo, Espada faced retaliation for his whistleblowing efforts.
Moreover, since its establishment, the OAAF has received a total of 188 complaints. From these, 76 were anonymous. After reporting the malpractices, 20 whistleblowers, accounting for 11%, sought protection.
Another significant OAAF finding revealed fraudulent contracting practices at the Hospital de la Merced in Osuna, Seville, in 2016. The contracts consistently favoured the same firm, showcasing patterns of contract splitting and double-purchasing.
Irregular Political Funding in Huelva
In 2022, the OAAF also delved into the irregular financing of political parties in the Huelva province. Various parties, including PSOE, PP, IU, and Podemos, allegedly dispersed up to €2.4 million over a span of 11 years.
Out of the total 188 complaints lodged with the OAAF, a significant portion pertains to local entities (47%), with the Andalucian Government (Junta de Andalucía) implicated in 36% of cases. The majority of these cases revolve around personnel and HR discrepancies (41%), followed by issues related to permits (14%) and contracts (12%).
The OAAF remains committed to its mission of detecting, preventing, and mitigating fraud and corruption to safeguard the public interests of Andalucia.
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