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NBC News investigation revealed Corey Lewandowski solicited kickback payments from DHS contractors GEO Group and Salus

NBC News published an investigation on March 19, 2026 reporting that Corey Lewandowski, a Department of Homeland Security special government employee functioning as de facto chief of staff to Secretary Kristi Noem, solicited payments from DHS contractors GEO Group and Salus Worldwide Solutions in exchange for protecting or securing their contracts. GEO Group's founder declined the demand, while representatives connected to Salus were told a Lewandowski-tied "consultant" needed to be hired to secure contracts worth up to $50 million. Congressional Democrats opened multiple investigations following the report, and Lewandowski denied the allegations through a spokesperson.

Jurisdiction
Federal
Location
Washington, D.C.

Abuses documented

Actors

On March 19, 2026, NBC News published an investigation -- based on seven months of reporting and interviews with nearly two dozen sources -- revealing that Corey Lewandowski, an unpaid special government employee at the Department of Homeland Security functioning as de facto chief of staff to Secretary Kristi Noem, solicited payments from DHS contractors in exchange for protecting or expanding their contracts. During the presidential transition and again in early 2025, Lewandowski allegedly told GEO Group founder George Zoley he wanted compensation, including a "success fee" tied to new contract value, to protect GEO Group's existing DHS contracts; Zoley declined. Separately, representatives allegedly told a marketing firm working with Salus Worldwide Solutions that it needed to hire a "consultant" tied to Lewandowski to secure contracts worth $20 million and potentially $40-50 million.

GEO Group went on to receive a $121 million DHS contract in December 2025, and Salus -- which had won a nearly $1 billion DHS deportation contract in 2025 amid allegations DHS ignored competition requirements -- later received a $200 million contract extension. Multiple congressional Democrats opened or expanded investigations following the NBC report. Lewandowski's spokesperson denied the allegations, stating: "This is absolutely false and did not happen -- Mr. Lewandowski never demanded any payment or compensation."

Updates

2026-03-23 -- House Oversight Democrats demanded answers from GEO Group [2]

Ranking Member Robert Garcia formally demanded records and cooperation from GEO Group Chairman and CEO George Zoley, calling the reporting a "massive pay-to-play scheme."

2026-03-28 -- DHS confirmed Lewandowski had left the department [6]

A DHS spokesperson confirmed Lewandowski "no longer has a role" at the department, amid the fallout from Secretary Noem's removal earlier that month.

2026-04-02 -- House Oversight Democrats escalated the probe to Salus Worldwide [5]

Garcia demanded records and cooperation from Salus Worldwide Solutions CEO William Walters, citing reporting connecting Salus subcontractors to Lewandowski-affiliated consultants.

2026-06-12 -- Sen. Hassan opened a Senate investigation into Lewandowski [3]

Sen. Maggie Hassan opened a formal Senate investigation, alleging Lewandowski solicited payments from GEO Group and ordered DHS to halt its contracts when the company refused, and separately steered a $20 million Salus Worldwide contract conditioned on hiring his handpicked consultants.

2026-07-14 — Competitor sued and Rep. Thompson demanded cancellation of Salus contract [7, 8]

CSI Aviation, a major ICE contractor, sued over Salus Worldwide's roughly $915 million "Project Homecoming" self-deportation contract, awarded in May 2025, telling the U.S. Court of Federal Claims the award was "unlawful, rushed, and noncompetitive" and that DHS ignored competition requirements. A DHS official said the procurement "created an appearance of favoritism toward Salus." Rep. Bennie Thompson, ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, wrote to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin urging cancellation, calling the department's May 2026 six-month extension of the contract "incomprehensible." Salus said the criticism was being driven by larger competitors seeking to protect their own profits.

Why we recorded this

Public service over self-dealing: officials entrusted with contracting power must not convert that authority into personal leverage over the businesses they oversee. Reporting found a Department of Homeland Security special government employee solicited kickback-style payments from federal contractors as a condition of protecting or awarding their contracts, with one contractor going on to receive a $121 million DHS award months later. This archive records when public contracting power is treated as a source of private income rather than a public trust.

Sources

  1. Some DHS contractors told White House officials they were asked to pay Corey Lewandowski — NBC News primary accessed July 9, 2026
  2. Ranking Member Robert Garcia Expands Corey Lewandowski Investigation into Alleged Pay-to-Play Scheme with DHS Contracts — U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform (Democrats) primary accessed July 9, 2026
  3. Senator Hassan Opens Investigation into Corey Lewandowski After Alleged Corruption & Abuse of Taxpayer Dollars — Office of Sen. Maggie Hassan primary accessed July 9, 2026
  4. Gallego Leads Homeland Security Committee Dems in Demanding Answers on Corey Lewandowski's Alleged 'Pay-to-Play' Scheme at DHS — Office of Sen. Ruben Gallego primary accessed July 9, 2026
  5. Ranking Member Robert Garcia Escalates Probe into Corey Lewandowski's Suspected Pay-to-Play Operation with DHS Contracts — U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform (Democrats) primary accessed July 9, 2026
  6. Corey Lewandowski out at DHS after Kristi Noem's firing, agency says — USA Today (via The Spokesman-Review) primary accessed July 9, 2026
  7. Top Homeland Security Democrat Demands Cancellation of Massive DHS Self-Deportation Contract — Mother Jones investigative accessed July 15, 2026
  8. DHS Rushed $915 Million Deportation Contract, Lawsuit Says — Bloomberg Law investigative accessed July 15, 2026

See also