Top EPA climate change scientist was a criminal fraudster who bilked the U.S. government out of $1 million

Thursday, April 28, 2016 by: Jennifer Lea Reynolds
Tags: EPA, fraud and corruption, John C. Beale

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(NaturalNews) While EPA staff members working with the agency's top climate expert, John C. Beale, believed that Beale was involved in undercover CIA operations that often necessitated his absence from work, the reality was that Beale was making the entire story up. He never worked with the CIA at all; instead of heading to Pakistan or helping a CIA replacement who had been captured and tortured – as Beale told his EPA colleagues was the case – the reality is that he was often lounging around his home participating in various hobbies.

"Why did I do this? Greed - simple greed - and I'm ashamed of that greed," Beale said in court, where he was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison on the grounds of defrauding the government. Additionally, he'll be paying $1.3 million in restitution and forfeiture to the government.

He pleaded guilty to bilking the government out of nearly $1 million in salary and other benefits over the course of 10 years. EPA Assistant Inspector General, Patrick Sullivan, noted that Beale's crime was one "of massive proportions."

Prosecutors called it "offensive" to those who truly do engage in dangerous work for the CIA.

Fraudster deceived many while taking bicycle rides, reading and staying at expensive hotels

In an NBC video, Sullivan provided details. He explained that Beale – who ultimately earned over $200,000 annually – started out by telling people that he was working on undercover CIA assignments. No one questioned this or looked into the matter, trusting that a top climate change expert would have no reason to lie about something so serious. This went on for years, all while he was really living the high life at the expense of the U.S. government and taxpayers.

Sullivan says in the video regarding Beale, that, "by his own admission to us, he said he was riding his bicycle, he was reading books and working around his house." Sullivan also noted that Beale enjoyed traveling around the world first class while staying at posh hotels. "Mr. Beale was very adept at being deceptive and he fooled a lot of people. In 1994, he began to spin the web that he was a CIA operative. He started out with his family and friends and slowly it morphed into the workplace."

It was also reported that he would head to his Cape Cod vacation home where he'd relax when he should have been at work at the EPA. In addition, he had the audacity to bill tax payers for 33 flights taken during an eight-year period for personal reasons, including trips to California and London. Between the flights, stays in fancy hotels, limo rides and pricey meals, the cost to taxpayers exceeded $266,000.

Ordering investigation of 'rogue employee' commendable

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, to whom Beale reported directly, learned that Beale had remained on the payroll for 18 months after his retirement party – a party he threw for himself while still collecting a salary and still weaving his web of lies. This prompted McCarthy to order an investigation that led to his criminal charges and subsequent sentences.

Although some people have criticized McCarthy for not recognizing that something was wrong sooner – after all, they worked together for several years and she never noticed anything was unusual – there are those who support her. "I commend the EPA administrator ... for taking steps to shine a light on the actions of this rogue employee, and her actions helped uncover these crimes," said Senator Barbara Boxer of California. Boxer is also the chair of the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee.

Before Beale chose to live a life of deceit and fraud, he was responsible for helping to rewrite the Clean Air Act in 1990. Beale also helped lead climate change conferences and was involved with negotiating carbon emissions agreements in China and India.

Sources for this article include:

NBCNews.com

DailyMail.co.uk