(a) When the Investigations and Fraud Management Division of the Office of the Inspector General, which is charged with investigating welfare fraud and intra-agency employee misconduct, has credible information that indicates a person has engaged in an act or activity related to the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health and the Department of Health Facilities programs, benefits or intra-agency employee misconduct which is subject to prosecution, it may conduct an investigation to determine if the act has been committed. To the extent necessary to the investigation, the Inspector General or an employee of the Office of the Inspector General may administer oaths or affirmations and issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents relevant to the investigation, including information concerning the existence, description, nature, custody, condition and location of any book, record, documents or other tangible thing and the identity and location of persons having knowledge of relevant facts or any matter reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 16-1-22c

  • Department: means the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources: Provided, That beginning January 1, 2024, as used in this chapter, "department" and "Department of Health and Human Resources" means the Department of Health. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

When the Investigations and Fraud Management Division has probable cause to believe that a person has engaged in an act or activity which is subject to prosecution relating to the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health and the Department of Health Facilities programs, benefits or intra-agency employee misconduct, the Inspector General or an employee of the Office of the Inspector General may request search warrants and present and swear or affirm criminal complaints.

(b) If documents necessary to an investigation of the Investigations and Fraud Management Division appear to be located outside the state, the documents shall be made available by the person or entity within the jurisdiction of the state having control over such documents either at a convenient location within the state or, upon payment of necessary expenses to the division for transportation and inspection, at the place outside the state where these documents are maintained.

(c) Upon failure of a person to comply with a subpoena or a subpoena for the production of evidence or failure of a person to give testimony without lawful excuse and upon reasonable notice to all persons affected thereby, the Investigations and Fraud Management Division may apply to the circuit court of the county in which compliance is sought for appropriate orders to compel obedience with the provisions of this section.

(d) The Investigations and Fraud Management Division may not make public the name or identity of a person whose acts or conduct is investigated pursuant to this section or the facts disclosed in an investigation except as the same may be used in any legal action or enforcement proceeding brought pursuant to this code or federal law.