Special inspector general, John Sopko confirmed the United States has been wasting millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars paying for the salaries of non-existent “ghost” soldiers.
During an interview on “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson,” Sopko said taxpayer money is being wasted.
Sopko is responsible for watching over the billions being spent to rebuild Afghanistan. And he said there is no way to prove the money being sent to pay salaries is going to a real live person.
Sharyl: In multiple letters and audits, Sopko has taken the Pentagon, which manages the money, to task stating, “Persistent reports…raise questions regarding whether the U.S. government is taking adequate steps to prevent taxpayer funds from being spent on so-called ‘ghost’ soldiers.”
Sharyl: And he says the ghost phenomenon extends beyond Afghan defense and security paychecks…to other forms of aid.
John Sopko: It’s not just the salaries. But we’re funding schools based upon the number of students, so if you invent or inflate the number of students, you’re going to be paying more money. On the soldiers and the police, we’re paying for extra boots, for food, for everything else, logistics for numbers that don’t exist.
Watch the full interview: