“There is absolutely no validity to the story or to the underlying claim that any governmental officials have ‘raided’ the Plans or otherwise have taken any documents from the Plans,” the SAG-PPHP Board of Trustees said in a statement on Friday, hoping to dispel what it called “an environment of misinformation” created by “spurious stories that surface as a result of allegations made by a former employee.”
On Thursday, Deadline.com’s Nikki Finke reported incorrectly that "Federal investigators last week and this week arrived at SAG P&H Plan offices in Southern California and in Massachusetts and carried out several dozen boxes of paperwork to unmarked cars waiting outside." Finke also claimed, "And a few weeks earlier a man identifying himself as an investigator came into the offices at 4 p.m. with a copy machine on [a] big dolly and spent 4 to 5 hours Xeroxing documents."
Both of these claims have been refuted. According to the statement released on Friday, no documents were removed, and the Plan does not even have an office in Massachusetts. Current activity at the Plan is actually part of a routine field audit by the Department of Labor, which began in 2010. This is the 10th Department of Labor audit of the SAG-PPHP since 1987, according to the statement.
Back Stage erroneously treated Finke’s reporting on Thursday as fact. Back Stage regrets the error.
Read the complete statement from the SAG-PPHP Board of Trustees below:
“The Screen Actors Guild – Producers Pension and Health Plans first priority is its fiduciary responsibility to its participants. The Plans have effectively operated to provide some of the most significant benefits to our participants to be found anywhere in the world. However, recent media accounts containing erroneous claims about Federal officials raiding documents from the Plans and investigations into alleged cover ups have created an environment of misinformation that we want to dispel with the following clarifications:
“FACT: Contrary to recent reports, there is absolutely no validity to the story or to the underlying claim that any governmental officials have “raided” the Plans or otherwise have taken any documents from the Plans. In fact, it is important to understand that despite the mention of a “raid” of an office in Massachusetts, the Plans do not have an office in Massachusetts.
“FACT: In 2010 the United States Department of Labor announced a field audit of the Plans. Field audits of multi-employer plans of this sort are routine for benefit plans across the country. In fact, since 1987, this is the 10th Department of Labor (DOL) audit of the SAG-PPHP. This current audit is no different than previous audits, which have resulted in our staff working with the DOL to ensure that Plan procedures are up-to-date and in compliance with various adjustments in Federal guidelines and recent changes in the law.
“As before, we want to reaffirm that the fiscal integrity of the Plans remains absolutely sound and that participant benefits are secure. There has been no change in the status of the Plans’ assets.The Trustees and staff will continue our efforts to reinforce the internal controls at the Plans to ensure that they are in line with best practices. While we cannot control the spurious stories that surface as a result of allegations made by a former employee, we can assure participants that their assets have never been at risk. To be clear: The pension and health plans are safe.
“The Plans appreciate the trust that participants place in us to oversee their pension and health benefits, which continue to rank among the best in the nation.”
