Elon Musk's DOGE to investigate federal employees' exploding net worths amid scrutiny of wealth disparities

By bellecarter // 2025-02-16

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The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will investigate federal employees whose net worths have significantly increased despite modest salaries, following a report on former USAID head Samantha Power's net worth ballooning to $30 million.
Power's wealth growth, attributed to income from her role as a Harvard professor, speaking engagements, book royalties and a significant investment gain, has raised questions about the sources of her wealth and potential conflicts of interest.
DOGE will use Palantir's advanced intelligence and AI systems to analyze financial disclosures, investment records and other data from the Treasury, USAID and OPM to uncover potential corruption.
The investigation aims to address a wider issue of federal employees and lawmakers accumulating wealth through various means, which critics argue creates conflicts of interest and erodes public trust in government institutions.
The DOGE investigation could set a precedent for greater transparency and oversight in federal agencies, though concerns about privacy and the potential for political misuse of such investigations have been raised.

Elon Musk announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that his organization, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), will investigate federal employees whose net worths have skyrocketed despite their modest government salaries. The announcement follows a bombshell report revealing that Samantha Power, former head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), saw her net worth balloon to an estimated $30 million while earning an annual salary of less than $250,000. Musk's decision comes on the heels of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, which called on federal agencies to collaborate with DOGE to address potential corruption. (Related: Elon Musk and DOGE uncover massive fraud in USAID, sparking calls for government transparency.) "We don't know why. Where did it come from? I think the reality is that they're getting wealthy at the taxpayer expense," Musk said during a press briefing. The investigation, which will leverage data from the Treasury, USAID and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), will utilize Palantir's advanced intelligence and artificial intelligence systems to uncover potential graft hidden within the federal bureaucracy. Power, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President Barack Obama, was sworn in as USAID administrator in May 2021. At the time, her financial disclosure forms listed her net worth between $6.7 million and $16.5 million. However, according to the website Biden's Basement, her net worth has since surged to an estimated $30 million. Power's financial growth has been attributed to a combination of income streams, including her $471,000 annual salary as a Harvard University professor, $351,000 from speaking engagements with major corporations like Nestle, Google and UBS and $1 million in book royalties. However, the most significant contributor to her wealth appears to be an $11.73 million gain in her investment holdings. Critics have questioned how a public servant with a government salary could amass such substantial wealth in such a short time frame. "This isn't just about Samantha Power – it's about a pattern of behavior that raises serious questions about how federal employees are managing their finances," said a government ethics expert who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "When public servants see their net worth explode, it undermines public trust in the institutions they represent."

A broader pattern of wealth disparities in government

Power's case is not an isolated incident. Over the years, numerous federal employees and lawmakers have faced scrutiny for their rapidly growing net worths, often attributed to lucrative investments, speaking fees and book deals. Critics argue that such financial gains create conflicts of interest and erode public confidence in government institutions. In July, a bipartisan group of senators, including Josh Hawley (R-MO), renewed efforts to ban members of Congress from trading stocks, citing concerns over insider trading. "Congress should not be here to make a buck," Hawley said at the time. "There is no reason why members of Congress ought to be profiting off of the information that only they get." The issue of insider trading among lawmakers has been a persistent problem. A 2021 investigation by the New York Times found that dozens of members of Congress had traded stocks in companies directly affected by their legislative work, raising questions about whether they were using non-public information for personal gain. Musk's DOGE, which has positioned itself as a watchdog for government transparency, plans to use its access to federal data and Palantir's cutting-edge AI technology to identify potential corruption. By analyzing financial disclosures, investment records and other data, DOGE aims to uncover patterns of graft and unethical behavior within federal agencies. "If we had to venture a guess, DOGE's access to information from the Treasury, USAID and OPM, run through Palantir's intelligence apparatus, will quickly unravel graft hidden through multiple layers of organizational fog," Musk said. The investigation is expected to focus not only on individual cases like Power's but also on systemic issues that allow federal employees to accumulate wealth disproportionate to their salaries. Critics of the initiative, however, have raised concerns about privacy and the potential for overreach. "While transparency is important, we must ensure that these investigations are conducted fairly and do not infringe on individuals' rights," said a civil liberties advocate. Visit ElonMuskWatch.com to read more about Musk's recent efforts to lessen wasteful spending and promote government transparency. Watch the video below that talks about Trump team unraveling USAID wasteful spending. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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A broader pattern of wealth disparities in government

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