USAID bribery scandal erupts as four admit guilt under DOGE scrutiny

A staggering $550 million bribery scheme at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been exposed, with four individuals pleading guilty to a pay-to-play scandal that’s as shocking as it is disappointing.

In a nutshell, a federal contracting officer and three businessmen confessed to orchestrating a massive fraud involving lavish bribes, just as USAID faced near-dismantling by DOGE under the Trump administration for rampant waste and fraud.

Let’s start at the beginning: Roderick Watson, a 57-year-old USAID contracting officer, admitted to abusing his position since 2013 by selling his influence for personal gain.

Uncovering a Million-Dollar Bribery Web

Watson’s partners in crime were contractors Walter Barnes of Vistant and Darryl Britt of Apprio, who funneled bribes through subcontractor Paul Young to keep their dirty dealings under wraps.

The payoffs were jaw-dropping—over $1 million in cash, laptops, NBA suite tickets, a country club wedding, mortgage down payments, phones, and even jobs for relatives.

They hid their tracks with electronic transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, shell companies, and fake invoices, proving that corruption can be as creative as it is corrupt.

Contracts Awarded, Then Canceled Amid Scandal

Fast forward to November 2023, when Vistant, part of a joint venture, landed a contract worth up to $800 million to tackle migration causes from Central America—a priority pushed by the Biden administration.

But just days later, USAID canceled the contract after posting a notice that Vistant was barred from government work due to evidence of dishonest conduct.

Undeterred, the joint venture sued, and by August 2024, they were back in the game with the contract reinstated plus a $10,000 payment—turns out persistence pays, even if integrity doesn’t.

DOGE Targets USAID for Wasteful Spending

Meanwhile, USAID was already in hot water with DOGE, the Trump administration’s effort to slash government waste, fraud, and abuse, leading to an 83% cut in USAID programs.

Vital initiatives were shifted to the State Department, the agency’s website went offline, employees were locked out of headquarters, and direct-hire staff were placed on administrative leave.

Critics of USAID’s spending didn’t help its case—think $1.5 million for diversity programs in Serbia or $70,000 for a DEI-themed musical in Ireland, not to mention reports of U.S. funds allegedly supporting a terrorist’s college education in Colorado.

Democrats Decry Cuts, Ignore Corruption

Democrats and media outlets cried foul over the cuts, arguing they’d hurt vulnerable people worldwide, while House and Senate members protested outside USAID’s headquarters in early February.

Even U2’s Bono chimed in, warning of hundreds of thousands of deaths due to slashed aid—yet the silence on this bribery scandal from the same crowd is deafening.

As Acting Assistant Inspector General Sean Bottary of USAID-OIG stated, “Corruption in government programs will not be tolerated.” Well, let’s hope so, because taxpayers deserve better than funding million-dollar wedding bashes for corrupt officials.