USAID Investigation Defense

Experienced Federal Defense Lawyers Representing USAID Officers, Personnel, and Contractors

Attorney Nick OberheidenUSAID Investigation
Team Lead

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is facing unprecedented scrutiny during the second Trump Administration. While USAID’s Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG) has long been active in rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse both internal and external to the agency, the current administration is taking a significantly more aggressive approach to combating fraud, waste and abuse across the agency’s workforce and within its pool of contractors and grant recipients.

If you are facing an investigation as a USAID officer, employee, contractor, or grantee, our federal defense lawyers are available to represent you. We have extensive experience defending clients in federal investigations, including those involving the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), OIGs, and other federal law enforcement authorities. Several of our defense lawyers have prior experience prosecuting fraud, waste, and abuse at the DOJ as well, and our team also includes former investigators with various OIGs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other agencies.

Matters We Handle

We handle all matters related to USAID investigations targeting the agency’s internal personnel as well as its private contractors and grantees. This includes matters involving USAID OIG, DOGE, the DOJ and FBI, Congress, and other federal entities. If you need to consult with a USAID investigation defense lawyer regarding any of the following, we encourage you to contact us promptly for a complimentary and confidential consultation:

Federal Civil and Criminal Investigations

Our lawyers are available to represent USAID officers, employees, contractors, and grantees in federal civil and criminal investigations. This includes investigations targeting fraud, waste, and abuse—which are currently among the administration’s top priorities for reducing federal spending. Even for those individuals who have simply been executing their duties or fulfilling the terms of contracts or grants their employers received from USAID, avoiding unnecessary consequences may require a proactive, strategic, and staunch defense.

Some examples of allegations that have the potential to trigger an investigation—and potentially lead to civil or criminal enforcement action—include:

Spending of USAID funds that is deemed wasteful or excessive
Using USAID funds to pay for personal expenses
Paying or receiving kickbacks out of USAID funds
Making false representations to obtain or maintain USAID contracts or grants
Theft and embezzlement of USAID funds or property

Again, these are just examples. At this stage we are anticipating that USAID investigations will target an extremely wide range of allegations. If you are facing scrutiny as a USAID officer, employee, contractor, or grantee for any reason, a USAID investigation defense lawyer at Oberheiden P.C. can help you understand your situation, make informed decisions, and efficiently target a resolution that avoids unnecessary consequences.

USAID OIG Internal Investigations and Removals

We are also continuing to represent USAID officers and employees who are facing internal investigations. When USAID’s website was removed from the Internet, USAID OIG’s website remained active; and, amidst the administration’s early efforts to confront fraud, waste, and abuse within USAID, USAID OIG posted on X that its hotline “remains open for individuals and entities to confidentially report fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct related to USAID programs and operations.”

While USAID OIG conducts both internal and external investigations, a significant portion of its work is devoted to rooting out misconduct within the agency. For federal employees in non-politically appointed positions, accusations of misconduct are among the limited grounds for removal from the federal workforce.

If you have been contacted by USAID OIG, it is strongly in your best interests to seek experienced legal counsel immediately. While this is true in any circumstance, it is especially true given the administrations’ efforts to both reduce the size of the federal workforce and target USAID specifically. Regardless of your level of authority within the agency, our USAID investigation defense lawyers can help protect you by all means available—including helping to protect your rights as a federal employee.

Congressional Subpoenas

As the administration’s efforts to target fraud, waste, and abuse within USAID and other federal agencies progress, it would seem to be only a matter of time until Congress gets involved. At Oberheiden P.C., we have extensive experience representing clients in congressional matters as well. This includes representing clients who need to appear before House and Senate committees in response to congressional subpoenas.

Congress’s subpoena power is extremely broad, and it is no secret that political dynamics can play a major role in what Congress chooses to investigate. Given these facts, it would not be surprising to see Congress play a major role in the administration’s efforts to target USAID, particularly if the recent court decisions challenging President Trump’s executive actions are withheld on appeal.

Along with former DOJ prosecutors, OIG investigators, and FBI Special Agents, our team also includes two former members of Congress. Trey Gowdy represented South Carolinians in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, during which time he played a central role in several major congressional investigations. Kevin McCarthy served in Congress from 2007 to 2023, including serving as the 55th Speaker of the House. Even though he is no longer in Congress, Mr. McCarthy remains among the most influential, recognizable, and connected figures in U.S. politics.

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

Lynette S. Byrd

Former DOJ Trial Attorney

Partner

Brian J. Kuester

Former U.S. Attorney

Hon. Kevin McCarthy

55th Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives (ret.)

Government Consultant

Mike Pompeo

Of Counsel

Former U.S. Secretary of State

John W. Sellers

Former Senior DOJ Trial Attorney

Linda Julin McNamara

Federal Appeals Attorney

Nicholas B. Johnson

Former Prosecutor

Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (DOJ)

Chris J. Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Michael S. Koslow

Former Supervisory Special Agent (DOD-OIG)

Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Recent USAID OIG Investigations

USAID OIG’s recent investigations provide insight into the types of issues that have the potential to trigger scrutiny for officials, employees, contractors, and grantees. Here are some of the most recent examples (Oberheiden P.C. did not serve as USAID investigation defense counsel in these matters):

In December 2024, a USAID contractor agreed to pay more than $3.1 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by recklessly failing to detect fraudulent charges by a subcontractor and submitting fraudulent claims to the agency.
In December 2024, USAID OIG found that a GS-14 employee of the agency had improperly received locality pay adjustments of $23,000 for federal employees based in Washington D.C. even though the employee lived and worked in Florida. This followed a similar investigation in September, which targeted an employee based in North Carolina who allegedly received $9,800 in overpayments.
In December 2024, USAID OIG found that a former GS-14 employee abused the agency’s sick leave policy by working for a private company while on leave and failing to report his outside employment to the agency.
In September 2024, a USAID contractor was indicted for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) fraud following a USAID OIG investigation into the contractor’s improper use of the PPP and EIDL funds.
In August 2024, USAID OIG opened an investigation into allegations that an award recipient improperly diverted USAID resources from the intended beneficiaries to other parties. While this was reportedly due initially to interference from international security forces, the investigation focused on whether the grant recipient continued to divert resources after gaining the necessary access to serve the intended beneficiaries.

FAQs: USAID Investigation Defense

Is USAID OIG Still Conducting Investigations?

At the time of writing USAID OIG is still conducting investigations. While USAID’s operations have largely been suspended by the administration, USAID OIG appears to be continuing to conduct investigations targeting fraud, waste, and abuse allegedly committed by agency personnel, contractors, and grant recipients.

What Are the Risks of Facing a USAID Investigation for Agency Officers and Personnel?

For USAID officers and personnel, facing an investigation potentially presents a wide range of risks. While removal from federal service due to allegations of misconduct is a very real concern, USAID investigations have the potential to lead to law enforcement action as well. This includes criminal law enforcement action in some cases.

What Are the Risks of Facing a USAID Investigation for Contractors and Grant Recipients?

While loss of funding is the most immediate concern for most USAID contractors and grant recipients arising out of the administration’s efforts to target the agency’s spending, USAID investigations can present other serious risks as well. These include the risk of both civil and criminal enforcement action, as well as the risk of suspension or debarment from participating in future federal contracts or grant opportunities.

Do I Need a USAID Investigation Defense Lawyer?

If you are facing scrutiny from USAID OIG or any other federal authority related to your work with USAID, we strongly recommend speaking with a defense lawyer promptly. At Oberheiden P.C., we have extensive experience representing federal personnel, contractors, and grant recipients in dangerous federal investigations, and we can get to work on your defense immediately if necessary.

What Should I Do if I Have Been Contacted By DOGE?

If you work for (or with) USAID in any capacity and have been contacted by individuals with DOGE, we strongly recommend speaking with a defense lawyer promptly in this scenario as well. While DOGE’s authority is yet to be clearly defined, at present, DOGE is actively involved in the administration’s efforts to target fraud, waste, and abuse across the federal government.

Contact Us for a Complimentary and Confidential USAID Investigation Defense Consultation

If you would like to speak with a USAID investigation defense lawyer at Oberheiden P.C., contact us today. Call 888-680-1745 or send us a confidential message online to arrange a complimentary consultation as soon as possible.