Of the billions of tax {dollars} spent by the U.S. Company for Worldwide Growth Workplace (USAID) which are being questioned by the Trump administration, tens of millions went to fund terrorism.
A multi-year investigation introduced by the Justice Division and U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Columbia reveals the scope of how funds had been utilized in one current terrorism-related case.
“The case represents one of the crucial important diversions of USAID-funded humanitarian assist that USAID-OIG has investigated,” USAID’s Workplace of Inspector Normal mentioned.
It concerned a Syrian nationwide, Mahmoud Al Hafyan, who was charged with illegally diverting greater than $9 million of taxpayer cash by way of USAID to armed combatant teams, together with the Al-Nusrah Entrance (ANF), a delegated overseas terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq.
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In keeping with the indictment, Al Hafyan led a non-governmental group (NGO) in Syria, managing 160 workers.
Since Syria’s civil struggle started in 2011, and thru 2020, U.S. taxpayers funded greater than $12 billion of USAID cash to Syria supposed for meals and medical provides that was alleged to be administered by United Nations companies and NGOs.
The NGO that Al Hafyan led obtained $122 million over a three-year interval, diverting meals kits meant for refugees to ANF commanders, in keeping with the grievance. ANF, combating to overthrow the Syrian authorities, was identified for committing human rights atrocities, together with conducting mass executions of civilians, suicide bombings and kidnappings.
Al Hafyan allegedly bought the meals kits on the black market to the ANF commanders, falsifying paperwork to make it seem to be refugees had been receiving the meals.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Columbia, USAID OIG, and the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division had been concerned within the case.
“This defendant not solely defrauded the U.S. authorities, however he additionally gave the humanitarian assist he stole to a overseas terrorist group,” U.S. Lawyer Matthew Graves mentioned in November. “Whereas this overseas terrorist group fought with the merciless al-Assad regime, the individuals who had been alleged to obtain the help suffered.”
Another examples of misuse of USAID funds prosecuted by the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Columbia relate to a variety of fraud schemes.
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In a single case, a former government of a digital consulting agency in Delaware agreed to pay a $100,000 settlement to resolve allegations that he knowingly precipitated firm workers to submit false claims to USAID so as to obtain authorities contracts, overbill and cost for work that was by no means carried out, in keeping with a 2022 grievance.
In one other case, a worldwide well being nonprofit group primarily based in San Diego agreed to pay almost $550,000 to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted false claims to USAID to obtain grants to purportedly present agricultural and different assist to growing nations.
In one other case, the Worldwide Rescue Committee agreed to pay $6.9 million to settle allegations below the False Claims Act associated to USAID-funded programming associated to the civil struggle in Syria. The cash IRC obtained was supposed for humanitarian help however IRC employees participated in a kickback scheme with a Turkish provide ring involving contract bid rigging as an alternative, in keeping with the grievance.
In one other case, a former NGO official was sentenced to 40 months in jail for paying bribes to NGO officers in alternate for delicate procurement info associated to NGO contracts partially funded by USAID. On this case, for 5 years, a Turkmenistan citizen coordinated a bid-rigging scheme, instructed workers to deceive legislation enforcement brokers and destroyed emails associated to the investigation, in keeping with the grievance.
In one other case, a former USAID deputy director and resident of Maryland pled responsible to costs associated to a contract-steering scheme, conspiracy to defraud the USA and making false statements to legislation enforcement, in keeping with the grievance.
Syndicated with permission from The Heart Sq..
