US troops and Defense Department civilians racked up more than $1 million at strip clubs and casinos last year and now Congress is taking a closer look.
US lawmakers have requested a follow-up investigation into a May 19th report titled: “DoD Cardholders Used Their Government Travel Cards for Personal Use at Casinos and Adult Entertainment Establishments.”
The Pentagon’s inspector general has been investigating whether military personnel tried to get the government to reimburse them for charges put on official government travel cards.
According to the Washington Post, the Defense Department has about 1.6 million cardholders, who are meant to use the cards for official travel-related expenses only.
In the May report, the Pentagon watchdog noted one case where a member of the Air Force was demoted after spending over $4,500 at Sapphire Gentlemen’s Club in Las Vegas. The airman reportedly tried to spend an additional $920 but had “already exceeded his credit limit.”
During a year-long period, Defense Department employees reportedly spent more than $950,000 at casinos and close to $97,000 at “adult entertainment establishments” using official travel charge cards.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has instructed to Inspector General to conduct a follow up investigation. The following statement was written in a September 21st memo from the Inspector General’s Office: “Our objective is to determine whether (Defense Department) cardholders who used government travel cards at casinos and adult entertainment establishments for personal use sought or received reimbursement for the charges.”
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