Not Fake News: George Soros gets award from refugee group lavishly funded by US taxpayers, poses with refugee group pres. David Miliband in 2013. Unfortunately, the group, International Rescue Committee, is being investigated by the US for 'sophisticated' fraud and bribery in its misuse of US taxpayer funds intended to help suffering Syrian civilians and refugees-UK Telegraph, May 2016

Image via Refugee Resettlement Watch. George Soros, 2013 IRC Freedom Award winner

May 11, 2016, "David Miliband's refugee aid group in corruption probe," UK Telegraph, Louisa Loveluck, Istanbul

"The United States is investigating an international aid group headed by David Miliband over allegations of corruption in projects intended to help Syrian civilians and refugees.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of three international groups to have had millions of pounds in funding withdrawn over alleged bid-rigging and bribery.

Mr Miliband, a former foreign secretary, was appointed president and chief executive of the organisation in 2013, following his exit from Westminster politics.

USAID's Office of the Inspector General confirmed on Friday that 14 entities and individuals had been suspended as part of a "complex investigation into cross-border aid programs".

This includes International Medical Corps, one of the largest providers of medical aid to Syrians, and GOAL, an Irish NGO. Allegations relate to the organisations systematically overpaying for goods in Turkey. A senior USAID official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said private Turkish companies had sold cut-rate blankets and other basic materials at vastly inflated prices and pocketed the difference.

The items are meant to ensure the survival of hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians, many of whom have been left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

"What became clear in the course of this investigation was this was a pretty sophisticated operation," the USAID official said.

The IRC, which has an annual budget of £350 million [$439 million US dollars], relies heavily on government funding from Britain and the United States.

An IRC spokesman told The Times: "We are fully engaged and working with USAID on this issue.”

Two IRC staff members were dismissed in January (2016) after it was found that they had accepted money from suppliers in return for awarding them contracts.

The Telegraph understands that International Medical Corps has suspended one of its most senior officials working on the cross-border aid operation. GOAL has also replaced a locally staffed logistics team in Turkey and is currently barred from using its €6.2m [Euros] [$6.6 million US dollars] of US grant money to procure food and non-food items."...



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