INVESTIGATIVE SUMMARY: Joint Investigation Leads to Government-Wide Debarment of Former Embassy Employee Sentenced for Rape of Minors in Burkina Faso

0 June 3, 2026 14:50

alduffy

Wed, 06/03/2026 – 13:50

Investigative Summary

Jun 03, 2026

A joint investigation by USAID OIG and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Special Investigations has led to the 10-year, government-wide debarment of Fode Sitafa Mara, a former American embassy employee. On November 18, 2025, a Federal jury in the District of Maryland convicted Mara of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor as well as one count each of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted obstruction of justice. On February 26, 2026, Mara received a life sentence, and on May 15, 2026, the State Department debarred him from participating in all U.S. contracting and grant activities for 10 years.Our office continues to investigate fraud, corruption, diversion, and other misconduct impacting U.S.-funded foreign assistance programs and operations across multiple agencies. This includes, as in the case of Mara, allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.Please report any alleged misuse of U.S. taxpayer dollars impacting American foreign assistance to the OIG Hotline through https://oig.usaid.gov/report-fraud. For more on OIG’s investigative activities, please visit https://oig.usaid.gov/our-work/investigations.

Tags: Office of Inspector General USAID, U.S. Agency for International Development OIG, USAID Office of Inspector General, USAID OIG