A significant breach of trust has been revealed within the U.S. State Department as Levita Almuete Ferrer, 64, a senior budget analyst, admitted to a considerable embezzlement scheme. Over the course of two years, Ferrer utilized her signature authority to misappropriate funds totaling $657,347.50. This fraudulent activity occurred between March 2022 and April 2024, during her tenure within the Biden administration's Office of the Chief of Protocol.
Ferrer, a Maryland resident, confessed to writing 63 checks to herself, including three to an acquaintance, which she then deposited into her personal bank accounts. To obscure her illegal actions, Ferrer employed accounting software QuickBooks, initially recording her name as the payee. After printing the checks, she would alter the payee details to mimic legitimate State Department vendors, complicating any potential audits or reviews.
The gravity of the situation was underscored on Wednesday when Ferrer, also known by the name Levita Brezovic, pleaded guilty to theft of government property. She is slated for sentencing on September 18 and could receive up to a decade of incarceration. Additionally, as part of her plea agreement, Ferrer is obligated to return the stolen funds in full to the U.S. government and is subject to a forfeiture money judgment of the same magnitude, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C.
In a separate but related event, a Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent, part of Secretary of State Marco Rubio's security detail, was detained in Brussels. The agent’s arrest followed a confrontation with hotel staff and local police after being denied service at a closed hotel bar. Although released the same day with the U.S. Embassy's intervention, the incident raises concerns about the stress levels faced by DSS agents tasked with safeguarding American diplomats and investigating serious offenses like passport and visa fraud.
A State Department spokesperson acknowledged awareness of the allegations involving the employee from March 31, 2025, and confirmed that the matter is under review. However, they refrained from discussing specific personnel details. This incident and the embezzlement case have brought attention to the challenges and potential oversight gaps within the State Department.
Secretary of State Rubio, a key figure in President Donald Trump's Cabinet, was not present during the DSS incident but is expected to attend a NATO leaders' meeting later that week at the same location.