CeLeen LLC loses $106.7 million in USAID contracts

A company owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe had two contracts canceled by a new government agency led by Elon Musk. The agency, called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), terminated many federal contracts recently, including those worth $106.7 million held by CeLeen LLC. CeLeen is an information technology business. The CEO of Command Holdings, which owns CeLeen, confirmed the contracts were canceled "for convenience." He did not provide further details about the cancellations. Jon Panamaroff, the CEO, emphasized that the company has other contracts and plans to continue doing business with the government. One canceled contract was valued at $82.4 million and supported programs related to political stability for USAID's Office of Transition Initiative. The second contract, worth about $24.3 million, involved support for projects related to democracy and human rights. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe began diversifying into federal contracting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tribe's casino, Foxwoods Resort Casino, was closed for weeks in 2020 due to the pandemic, prompting a shift in focus. Command Holdings, established during this time, aims to build a strong presence in government contracting. Since DOGE was introduced, it has terminated 5,634 contracts, saving about $20 billion in taxpayer funds.