A federal agency tasked with aiding African development has been exposed for redirecting taxpayer funds through African entities to benefit Washington insiders. The African Development Foundation (ADF) allegedly used foreign pass-throughs to conceal payments to D.C. staff and associates, raising serious concerns about misuse of public funds.
The ADF, with an annual budget of $45 million, is legally mandated to provide grants exclusively to Africa-based organizations. However, investigations reveal that the agency routed funds through African partners, which then funneled money back to U.S. employees and their affiliates. This scheme allowed the agency to present itself to Congress as a low-overhead charity while diverting funds for domestic benefit.
One notable case involves a grant to the Kenyan journalism group Africa 24, which was instructed to pay salaries of American staff at the ADF’s D.C. headquarters. This arrangement misrepresented the nature of the grant, misleading Congress about the agency’s overhead costs.
Further scrutiny uncovered that ADF’s Chief Financial Officer, Mathieu Zahui, received payments to his personal bank account from a company to which he had steered contracts. Despite these findings, no criminal charges have been filed to date.
The agency also reportedly hired workers as contractors instead of official government employees, enabling payments through unconventional funding mechanisms. These contractors were granted privileges typically reserved for federal employees, including supervising staff and managing government funds, in violation of federal regulations.
Former ADF CEO C.D. Glin is accused of directing grants to African organizations with stipulations that funds be paid to U.S.-based groups where he had prior affiliations. For instance, grants were conditioned on payments to Pyxera Global and the Artisan Alliance, organizations linked to Glin. These actions raise questions about conflicts of interest and the integrity of the agency’s grant-making processes.
In response to these allegations, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attempted to audit the ADF’s operations. However, agency officials reportedly obstructed these efforts, including locking DOGE staff out of the building. U.S. Marshals eventually intervened to grant access to federal auditors.
Senator James Risch (R-Idaho) has called for an immediate investigation into the ADF, citing whistleblower complaints about financial irregularities and misuse of funds. These developments underscore the need for stringent oversight of foreign aid agencies to ensure accountability and proper use of taxpayer dollars.
