Contractors allege Lewandowski sought payments tied to DHS contracts

Multiple Department of Homeland Security contractors complained to senior White House officials that Corey Lewandowski, a close ally of President Donald Trump and top adviser to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, sought personal payments tied to the DHS contracting process, according to an NBC News investigation published 19 March 2026.

The report centers on interactions between Lewandowski and George Zoley, founder of The GEO Group, the private prison company holding more than $1 billion annually in federal contracts for immigrant detention, transportation, and monitoring. During the presidential transition in late 2024, Lewandowski told Zoley he wanted to be paid in exchange for protecting and growing GEO Group's DHS contracts, according to a senior DHS official and three people familiar with the discussion.

After joining DHS in January 2025 as an unpaid "special government employee," Lewandowski became Noem's "de facto chief of staff." In a second meeting in early 2025, Zoley offered Lewandowski a consulting retainer, but Lewandowski demanded straight kickbacks for new and renewed contracts—described by one source as a "success fee." Zoley again declined. Two GEO Group contracts subsequently shrank, and several of the company's migrant-housing facilities now sit idle.

A senior White House official told NBC News the administration received a "dozen" complaints from at least four companies about Lewandowski's involvement in contracting. One official raised the issue directly with President Trump in October 2025, although the conversation was cut short. Despite awareness of the allegations, the White House has taken no action against Lewandowski, in part because officials fear Trump would defend him.

Lewandowski, through a spokesperson, denied all allegations, stating he "never demanded any payment or compensation from the Geo Group, at any time." The DHS General Counsel's Office said Lewandowski is in compliance with ethics disclosure requirements.

Jessica Tillipman, associate dean for government procurement law studies at George Washington University, told NBC News that a special government employee seeking payments from companies whose contracts he oversees would raise "bright red flags of illegality" under federal bribery statutes (18 USC § 202).

President Trump fired Noem after congressional hearings this month. His nominee to replace her, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said he would cooperate with any DHS inspector general investigation into a $220 million advertising contract under Democratic scrutiny.