Secret Service El Salvador Scandal: Agency Investigating New Prostitution Allegations

By Laura Matthews | April 26 2012 11:30 AM

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating news reports alleging that about a dozen agents paid for the services of prostitutes while in El Salvador last year.

Reuters

Prostitutes walk a street of the old city, as heads of state met for the Americas Summit in Cartagena April 14, 2012. Headlines from this weekend's gathering of more than 30 heads of state have focused on an embarrassing scandal after members of U.S. President Barack Obama's security detail were caught with prostitutes in historic Cartagena. Picture taken April 14.
WikiCommons

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating news reports alleging that about a dozen agents paid for the services of prostitutes while in El Salvador last year. (Pictured: the capital city, San Salvador, at night.)

An official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press that the agency is verifying the accuracy of the reports.

Seattle's KIRO-TV reported this week, quoting a government subcontractor, that U.S. agents in the Central American country, where they were providing advance security ahead of a presidential visit, took part in activities similar to what allegedly happened in Colombia in advance of President Barack Obama's recent trip to Cartagena, where the president attended a Summit of the Americas meeting.

Twelve agents, including two supervisors, were implicated in the Colombian prostitution scandal that came to light on April 13 after a fight between a prostitute and an agent. All of the military personnel involved who had security clearance had it suspended.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that the Colombian scandal was a huge disappointment to the men and women of the Secret Service.

Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan told Fox News that the Cartagena investigation generated several news stories with allegations from mostly unnamed sources. But he added that any information brought to our attention that can be assessed as credible will be followed up on in an appropriate manner.