The Office of Inspector General was established on March 29, 1989. As set forth in the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, the Inspector General (IG) and his office provide objective and independent investigations, audits, and reviews of the FCC's programs and operations. Incident thereto, the Inspector General provides recommendations to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in FCC programs and operations. The Inspector General reports the results of investigations, audits and reviews semi-annually to the Chairman, and to the Congress. These reports, in turn, assist the Chairman, Commissioners and the United States Congress in becoming fully informed of all programmatic and operational deficiencies at the FCC. The Inspector General reports to, and is under the general supervision of, the FCC Chair. On January 10, 2011, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the appointment of David L. Hunt as Inspector General, a position he has held on an acting basis since June 2009. 

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has dedicated itself to assisting the Commission as it continues to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. The Inspector General informs the Chairman and Congress of fraud or any serious problems with the administration of FCC programs and operations discovered during audits, investigations and reviews. The Inspector General recommends corrective action, where appropriate, and reports on progress made in the implementation of those corrective actions. The IG refers criminal matters to the U.S. Department of Justice and other law enforcement entities for prosecution. The IG also coordinates referrals to FCC Officials for administrative action by the FCC. The office is staffed by the Inspector General - David L. Hunt, a Deputy Inspector General, an Assistant Inspector General for Investigations & Counsel, an Assistant Inspector General for Audits, an Assistant Inspector General for Management, auditors, investigatory attorneys, and administrative support staff.