Randall Luthi

Randall Luthi is the director of the Minerals Management Service, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The department manages oil, natural gas and other mineral resources and collects revenues from mineral leases.Official Site: Minerals Management Service Home Page

Luthi took office in July, 2007. In September, 2007, a scandal emerged when a Congress report indicated employees at the Royalty in Kind division of MMS accepted gifts from and had sex with employees at energy companies. The scandal involved former director Gregory W. Smith. Luthi took office after investigation of the scandal had begun.Wall Street Journal: Federal Oil Officials Accused... Sex and Drugs... (September 11, 2008)

An ethics scandal emerged in the Mineral Management Services in September 2008, when a Congress report became public. Former and current staff members were accused of having sex with and receiving gifts from oil company employees. As federal employees, Royalty in Kind staff are subject to strict ethics rules allegedly violated by these employees, who were also accused of rigging contracts and working for private oil consultants on the side. The former head of the department, Gregory W. Smith, were under investigation. Luthi took office after the investigation started.CNN Money: Federal investigators accuse oil officials of gifts, sex (September 10, 2008)