Following the bombshell O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) investigation exposing ATI Government Solutions’ alleged exploitation of the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) minority contracting program, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler has officially announced that the agency has launched a full investigation into both ATI Government Solutions and the Susanville Indian Rancheria.
As previously reported by The Gateway Pundit, O’Keefe Media Group released a bombshell undercover video showing ATI Government Solutions Contract Manager Melayne Cromwell describing how the company exploited its tribal 8(a) status to win multi-million dollar no-bid contracts from federal agencies.
Cromwell admitted ATI performs only 20% of the work, subcontracting the remaining 80%, a direct violation of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.219-14, which requires prime contractors to complete at least half of the labor.
“We only do 20%… the rest goes to subs,” she said.
“Because we’re Native American-owned, we’re heavily favored for government contracts… there’s no bidding war.”
On paper, ATI is 51% owned by the Susanville Indian Rancheria, but Cromwell acknowledged this is only “on paper.” The company is allegedly run by two white D.C. executives, Firmadge Crutchfield and Scott Deutschman, who handle operations and reap the profits.
The investigation revealed that tribal ownership was being used as a proxy to funnel government contracts to ineligible companies through “pass-through” schemes, effectively defrauding taxpayers while enriching intermediaries.
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In a statement released Monday, Loeffler confirmed that the SBA’s Office of Inspector General is conducting a sweeping review of the 8(a) program, a system originally intended to help disadvantaged small businesses compete in the federal marketplace, but which has instead become a magnet for fraud and abuse.
“SBA has launched an investigation into ATI Government Solutions and Susanville Indian Rancheria,” Loeffler declared.
“This is why we have been conducting a full review of the 8(a) Program, ostensibly designed to help ‘socially and economically disadvantaged’ small businesses compete in the federal marketplace. Yet, what we’ve discovered so far has been institutionalized abuse, which potentially amounts to billions of dollars in federal contracts that are run through shell companies, fraudulent pass-throughs, and other schemes.”
Loeffler revealed that the SBA had already begun tightening oversight of minority-preference contracting programs months prior to the O’Keefe revelations:
“That’s why in February, the SBA took immediate action to slash 8(a) contracting goals across the federal government. In June, we launched an audit of the program to review every 8(a) contract for the last 15 years. And in July, we rescinded the contracting authority of USAID, which was involved in a massive bribery scandal.”
Loeffler credited O’Keefe Media Group’s reporting for spotlighting deep corruption embedded within the system:
“@JamesOKeefeIII has exposed an important truth. Like every other government program rooted in DEI, the 8(a) Program is rife with grift and fraud.”
The Administrator pledged sweeping reforms to clean up the program and safeguard taxpayers from further abuse:
“Under my leadership, the SBA is committed to restoring integrity and implementing strong reforms to protect U.S. taxpayers from further abuse. The full audit is ongoing, and whistleblowers may contact https://sbax.sba.gov/oigcss/.”
SBA has launched an investigation into ATI Government Solutions and Susanville Indian Rancheria.
This is why we have been conducting a full review of the 8(a) Program, ostensibly designed to help “socially and economically disadvantaged” small businesses compete in the federal… https://t.co/ndSBDJFXtN
— Kelly Loeffler (@SBA_Kelly) October 20, 2025
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