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Elon Was Right: USAID Officials Plead Guilty to Massive Fraud Scheme

Charlie Kirk Staff

06/14/2025

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Elon Was Right: USAID Officials Plead Guilty to Massive Fraud Scheme

A massive bribery scandal has rocked USAID and exposed how federal “diversity contracting” programs have been abused to funnel more than half a billion dollars in foreign aid contracts to politically connected insiders.

The Department of Justice announced Friday that three government contractors and a USAID official have pleaded guilty in a wide-ranging corruption case, The Daily Wire reported.

Roderick Watson, a senior contracting officer at USAID, admitted to steering over $550 million in contracts to certain companies in exchange for more than $1 million in bribes.

“Watson exploited his position at USAID to line his pockets with bribes in exchange for more than $550 million in contracts,” said Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation. “While he helped three company owners and presidents bypass the fair bidding process, he was showered with cash and lavish gifts.”

At the center of the scheme were minority set-aside programs, known as 8(a) contracts, which allow government officials to hand out lucrative deals without competition to businesses owned by minorities, women, or veterans.

Walter Barnes III, founder of Baltimore-based Vistant (formerly PM Consulting Group), admitted to bribing Watson with cash, a Martha’s Vineyard trip, and even a country club wedding. His company was awarded millions in sole-source contracts under the pretense of being “disadvantaged” because he is black.

Also pleading guilty: Darryl Britt, founder of Apprio Inc., which took in $271 million in federal contracts since 2004. Britt began bribing Watson in 2013. When Apprio became too large to qualify for 8(a) contracts, Britt worked with Barnes, who received the contracts and subcontracted the work back to Apprio.

To hide the bribes, the companies used a middleman, Paul Anthony Young, a Maryland business owner and close friend of Barnes. Young also pleaded guilty.

Between 2013 and 2023, the men funneled bribes to Watson “through hundreds of monthly payments and other things of value, including laptops, cellular phones, jobs for relatives, and other gifts,” according to court filings.

Watson even suggested he’d start his own 8(a) firm once he was “more thoroughly entrenched” at USAID and the State Department.

The DOJ sought $138 million in penalties from the companies, but settled for just $600,000, saying the firms couldn’t pay.

Watson faces up to 15 years in prison. The others face up to five.

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Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, a national student movement dedicated to empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government.

Charlie is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast, which regularly ranks among the top-10 news shows on Apple podcast news charts, and is the host of the nationally syndicated daily radio show on the Salem Radio Network live from 12 - 3 PM ET.
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