Corruption at the Voice of America Alleged in Report

A three-year investigation by the House Foreign Affairs Committee has revealed corruption at the Voice of America.

The federal agency in charge of nearly $1 billion in funding for government broadcasting tried to cover up improper activities by a Voice of America manager, The Washington Times reported.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media, known as USAGM, engaged in corrupt practices related to the vetting of Setareh Derakhshesh Sieg, a director of the VOA's Persian news network, according to the committee stated report.

USAGM failed to investigate internal VOA whistleblowers' complaints that Sieg, who remains a manager, lied about receiving a doctorate from France's Sorbonne and misspent VOA funds.

The French government confirmed Sieg never received the doctorate, according to the report.

Sieg used taxpayer funds at VOA for personal travel and "falsified her educational credentials to obtain high-level employment," the report found. She also allegedly engaged in favoritism at VOA that unfairly benefited some employees over others, according to the Times.

Sieg allowed favored employees to collect excessive overtime pay in violation of VOA policy. She also is accused of authorizing an unqualified contract producer to spend tens of thousands of taxpayer funds on travel that did little to benefit the mission of reporting news, according to the report.

Moreover, Sieg is described as being sympathetic to Iran's Islamist theocracy and is accused of allowing pro-Tehran VOA reports to be aired.

Sieg was fired in the closing days of the administration of former President Donald Trump, but she was rehired a day after President Joe Biden took office.

Acting VOA director Yolanda Lopez resigned in September amid the House investigation.

The report quotes Lopez as telling congressional investigators that she was ordered to reinstate Sieg from administrative leave because the action was needed to "protect" USAGM.

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said Sieg should be removed from her VOA post immediately.

"For years, Sieg misrepresented her credentials and cultivated a culture of fear and dysfunction while she abused taxpayer dollars for lavish personal trips and contracts for friends," McCaul said.

"Unfortunately, Sieg's case is the tip of the iceberg. Given the important work of USAGM and VOA to provide accurate news around the world, I am extremely concerned about the agency's serious investigative blunders despite the alarming complaints piled against Sieg. USAGM's actions raise questions about the agency's ability to vet its own staff, and I am extremely concerned Democrats who criticized the agency under the last administration have gone silent instead of working in good faith to serve Americans who deserve transparency and accountability.

"Sieg must be removed from her position, as USAGM originally intended in 2020, and USAGM must work to improve its vetting processes immediately."