About Us

The Office of Internal Investigations (OII) was established in 2016 to conduct preliminary inquiries and administrative investigations into suspected misconduct involving IMF staff members and contractual employees.

OII carries out its responsibilities independent of any official, department, office, or other organizational entity of the IMF. OII is headed by the IMF’s Internal Investigator, who is appointed by the Managing Director, and is staffed by professional investigators and support personnel with extensive experience in conducting administrative investigations.

Patrice Sam, Head of OII

How we investigate

OII investigations are intended to establish the facts and circumstances concerning alleged misconduct so the responsible IMF official – either the Managing Director or the Director of the Human Resources Department – may determine whether misconduct has been committed and if so, what, if any, disciplinary action is appropriate.

OII gathers and reviews any evidence concerning the allegations of misconduct and interviews possible witnesses or others who may be in position to provide relevant information. All aspects of OII’s investigations are conducted discreetly, with due regard for preserving the privacy of those involved. Persons interviewed by OII and others who may be called upon to assist the investigation are under a duty of confidentiality and cannot disclose the contents of their interviews or the nature of their participation to others.

OII has direct access to all IMF employees and to all IMF records relevant to matters under investigation. IMF employees, including an employee who is the subject of an investigation, have a duty to cooperate and provide requested information in a timely manner. IMF employees also have a duty not to interfere with the conduct of an investigation.

Upon completion of an investigation, OII submits its factual findings to the responsible IMF official, including conclusions about whether the allegations of misconduct have been substantiated, or whether the evidence exonerates the subject or is insufficient to make a finding. It is up to the responsible IMF official, and not OII, to determine whether misconduct occurred and, if so, any disciplinary measure(s) to be imposed.

Protection from Retaliation

The IMF does not tolerate any form of retaliation against anyone for engaging in a protected activity. The IMF considers retaliation to be any direct or indirect adverse action recommended, threatened, or taken because someone engaged in a protected activity. A protected activity is any of the following, done in good faith:

• Raising an ethics concern through any of the established reporting mechanisms, including the Ethics Office (ETO), OII, or the Integrity Hotline;
• Using the IMF’s dispute resolution mechanisms, including the IMF’s Ombudsperson, Mediator, Administrative Review process, Grievance Committee, or Administrative Tribunal;
• Participating in any type or related proceeding as a witness;
• Assisting another IMF employee in using those channels; or
• Cooperating in the proceedings led by OII, the Office of Internal Audit (OIA), or the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO).

Retaliation is considered a form of misconduct which can be investigated by OII and, if substantiated, could result in disciplinary action and any adverse decision motivated by the retaliation being invalidated.

The IMF encourages employees to use the channels available for reporting suspected misconduct, raising ethics concerns, and participating in formal and informal dispute resolution. Moreover, IMF employees are required to cooperate with OII as well as with the IMF’s disciplinary and dispute resolution proceedings. IMF employees who believe that they have been subjected to retaliation may seek redress by reporting the matter to OII for independent review and/or investigation.