Update May 13th: Leo Hohmann at World Net Daily has much more on this probe.
Gee, I wonder if this is why its CEO David Miliband (a Brit!) has his toe back in UK political waters (here two days ago!). Is he about to jump ship and go home?
I haven’t seen this story yet in the American press, seems we always have to depend on the British press to inform us of unsavory news involving refugees and the contractors the federal government hires to take care of them.
Thanks to reader Ann for sending this story from The Telegraph (emphasis is mine):
The United States is investigating an international aid group headed by David Miliband over allegations of corruption in projects intended to help Syrian civilians and refugees.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of three international groups to have had millions of pounds in funding withdrawn over alleged bid-rigging and bribery.
Mr Miliband, a former foreign secretary, was appointed president and chief executive of the organisation in 2013, following his exit from Westminster politics.
USAID’s Office of the Inspector General confirmed on Friday that 14 entities and individuals had been suspended as part of a “complex investigation into cross-border aid programs”.
This includes International Medical Corps, one of the largest providers of medical aid to Syrians, and GOAL, an Irish NGO.
Allegations relate to the organisations systematically overpaying for goods in Turkey. A senior USAID official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said private Turkish companies had sold cut-rate blankets and other basic materials at vastly inflated prices and pocketed the difference.
[….]
“What became clear in the course of this investigation was this was a pretty sophisticated operation,” the USAID official said.
[….]
The IRC, which has an annual budget of £350 million,*** relies heavily on government funding from Britain and the United States.
An IRC spokesman told The Times: “We are fully engaged and working with USAID on this issue.”
Two IRC staff members were dismissed in January after it was found that they had accepted money from suppliers in return for awarding them contracts.
Continue reading where we learn that the Irish aid agency gets US dollars too!
Just a reminder that David Miliband was one of the first contractor CEOs to call for Obama to admit 65,000 Syrians by the end of his term. Miliband later upped that number to 100,000. See our huge archive on Miliband by clicking here.
And, if these contractor names have you confused, it is the IRC that is opening an office to bring Syrians to Missoula, MT (among other places).
***Let’s talk about their money for a minute!
Go to the most recent Form 990 for the IRC by clicking here.
Scroll down to page 9 where we learn that the IRC had a revenue stream that year of over a half a billion dollars ($562,021,607) and $378,337,440 came from “government grants.” That is you—the US taxpayer!
Doing well by doing good…..
And, if you want to really get your blood boiling scroll through a few more pages until you reach the staff salaries where no less than 11 staff people make over $200,000 a year. Perhaps the most necessary staffer they have right now—-their General Counsel—makes a bit less at $195,427.
Then look at the line for Miliband—-over $300,000 in cash, but it says “annual compensation $600,000.” What is up with that? Are they paying his NYC housing on the side somehow?
And, to wrap up with adding more insult to injury—their former CEO George Rupp is still pulling in annual compensation of $338,855 in this Form 990 that ended September 30, 2014.
I wonder what the underlings toiling away in resettlement offices across the US are making? What is Miss Mary going to make in Missoula?