USAID’s Office of Inspector General remains firmly committed to investigating fraud, diversion, trafficking, and sexual exploitation impacting foreign assistance programs and operations.
OIG initiated an investigation into an allegation that a USAID personal services contractor (PSC) at a U.S. Embassy in Africa provided his Department of State issued identification card – commonly referred to as a One Badge – to two local women so they could enter the embassy’s residential compound.
OIG’s investigation found that the PSC gave his One Badge to the two local women to allow them to enter the embassy’s residential compound; and that the women attempted to independently enter the embassy’s residential compound using the PSC’s One Badge. The investigation also found that the PSC used his USAID-issued mobile phone to arrange sexual encounters with several local women and send payments to those women. He claimed that the money was not in exchange for sex acts but for general expenses. The PSC also used his USAID-issued mobile phone to send local women sexually explicit material. The PSC did not file foreign contact reports as required.
The U.S. Department of Justice declined to pursue Federal criminal charges. As a result of the investigation, USAID terminated the PSC and removed him from Post. The contract termination led to cost savings of approximately $317,374.
For more on USAID OIG’s investigative results, please visit https://oig.usaid.gov/our-work/investigations
USAID OIG reminds personnel and implementers to continue to report allegations of misconduct to USAID OIG’s Hotline, consistent with their award requirements or other legal obligations.