Pentagon Officials Caught Using Taxpayer-Funded Credit Cards at Casinos, Bars, and Nightclubs Totaling $1.3 BILLION

Washington, D.C. – A scathing new audit from the Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG) has blown the lid off a jaw-dropping scandal: Pentagon officials have been using taxpayer-funded credit cards to bankroll gambling sprees, bar tabs, and late-night parties at nightclubs. While Americans scrape by amid soaring costs, the brass at the DoD have been living large—on your dime.

Taxpayer Money Down the Drain

The audit zeroes in on the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) program, designed to cover official travel expenses for DoD personnel. Instead, it’s become a slush fund for reckless spending:

• $387,642.66 blown at casinos and mobile app stores—think slot machines and Candy Crush, courtesy of taxpayers.
• $112,484.69 racked up at bars, lounges, and nightclubs, with spikes during holidays and big games like the Super Bowl.
• A staggering 3.9 million transactions worth $1.2 BILLION left unchecked because no one bothered to look.

This isn’t pocket change—it’s a full-on heist of public funds.

Oversight? What Oversight?

The Pentagon had a fancy tool, the Visa IntelliLink Compliance Management (VICM) system, meant to catch shady charges. But here’s the kicker:

• The Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) ignored red flags, letting high-risk spending slide without a peep.
• Hundreds of Program Coordinators—supposed to keep this in check—couldn’t even be bothered to log in.
• Rules to spot fraud? Outdated and ignored, leaving the door wide open for abusers to keep swiping.

It’s like handing out free credit cards at a Vegas buffet and telling no one to watch the tab.

Déjà Vu All Over Again

This isn’t even new. Back in 2015, a similar audit caught DoD cardholders dropping cash at casinos and strip clubs. Promises were made, heads nodded—but nothing changed. A decade later, the party’s still going, and taxpayers are still footing the bill.

Your Money, Their Playground

Picture this: You’re juggling bills while some Pentagon hotshot pulls cash from a casino ATM or buys rounds at a nightclub—all charged to Uncle Sam. Meanwhile, the DoD begs Congress for more funding, claiming it’s strapped for cash to defend the nation. The audit says $1.2 billion in transactions went unscrutinized. That’s not a glitch—that’s a grift.

Where’s DOGE When You Need It?

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), hyped as the cure for government waste, is our best shot to slam the brakes on this nonsense. We need Elon Musk’s DOGE to put an end to this once and for all—starting with this $1.2 billion mess. Taxpayers can’t wait any longer for the cleanup to begin.

No One’s Paying the Price

Here’s the part that’ll make your blood boil: despite this damning evidence, not one official has been fired, fined, or even scolded. Zero accountability for millions squandered. The Pentagon’s silence is deafening, and taxpayers are left holding an empty wallet.