Is anyone surprised to learn that the Wounded Warriors Project is being bilked for millions of dollars of wasted money? It's a favorite charity among the right-wing billionaires, and evidently didn't have much in the way of accountability.
Until recently, that is. CBS News has a special report on it that's just devastating.
By appealing to America's generosity, Wounded Warrior Project raised more than a billion dollars in donations since 2003 -- $300 million in 2014 alone.
But while the money was pouring in, it was also flowing out on lavish employee conferences -- $26 million in 2014.
"Let's get a Mexican mariachi band in there, let's get maracas made with the WWP logo put them on every staff member's desk. Lets get it catered, have a big old party," said Eric Millette, a retired army staff sergeant.
He took a job with Wounded Warrior as a motivational speaker, but after two years he quit.
"I'll be damned if you're gonna take hard-working Americans' money and drink it and waste it, instead of helping those brave men and women who gave you the freedom to walk the face of this earth."
More than 40 former employees told CBS News that spending by the charity was out of control. Two former employees were so fearful of retaliation they asked us not to show their faces.
"It was extremely extravagant. Dinners and alcohol and and, just total excess," one said. "I mean, it's what the military calls fraud waste and abuse."
Former employees also told us the excessive spending began when Nardizzi took over as CEO in 2009. They point to the 2014 annual meeting at a luxury resort in Colorado Springs as typical of his style.
Wounded Warrior Project released a statement defending their lavish expenditures.
WWP Press Release by News Team
Shame on them for taking people's money and blowing it on luxury fun things for their executives.
