Earl Edward Devaney (June 8, 1947 – April 15, 2022)[1] was an American government official who served as inspector general for the United States Department of the Interior and chairman of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.

[3][4] Devaney served as the special agent in charge of the Fraud Division until his retirement from the Secret Service in 1991, by which time he had gained international recognition as an expert on white-collar crime, and was frequently sought by major media organizations.

[7][8] Because of Devaney's findings, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service ordered the review of eight endangered species decisions in which MacDonald was involved.

[10] In 2008, Devaney investigated allegations of wrongdoing by a dozen current and former employees of the United States Minerals Management Service, and found that "a culture of ethical failure" pervaded the agency.

The investigation also concluded that several of the officials "frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives."

According to the New York Times, "The reports portray a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere for much of the Bush administration’s watch.