On February 9-11, the pro-government POST News, the TV program “New Paradigm with Merab Chikashvili” (32.20 0 32.41), the Russian-language media outlet aif.ru, and a Russian-language Facebook account spread information claiming that the former administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, saw her wealth grow from $6 million to $30 million over three years. According to these sources, Power’s annual salary at USAID was $180,000, yet her assets increased to $30 million.
The circulated information manipulatively suggests that the sharp increase in the former USAID administrator’s income is suspicious and may be linked to USAID’s operations. However, Samantha Power’s financial disclosures list multiple sources of income unrelated to USAID, which means there is no evidence that she accumulated $30 million from her role at the agency.
Samantha Power’s financial disclosure reports for the 2020 and 2023 calendar years are available on oge.gov. These documents detail her and her husband’s earnings, including royalties, as well as assets, their market value, and accrued benefits.
The financial disclosure categorizes her income as follows:
- Dividends – Regular payments made to shareholders by companies.
- Interest – Income from savings accounts or bonds.
- Rent or Royalties – Earnings from books, patents, or property rentals.
- Capital Gains – Income from selling stocks, real estate, or other investments.
- Salary – Wages from employment.
- Consulting Fees – Payments for advisory or professional services.
- Speaking Fees – Payments for speeches at events or universities.
It is important to note that the financial disclosure report includes only income exceeding $200 received during the reporting period. Where income is below this threshold, the filer marks the entry as “None” (or “less than $201”).
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Samantha Power’s 2020 Financial Disclosure
According to Samantha Power’s financial disclosure, she received income from various activities and sources. For example, in 2020, she earned $471,167 from Harvard University as salary and summer research stipends.
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Income from Public Speaking at Events/Universities
The 2020 financial disclosure shows that Power earned tens of thousands of dollars for speaking engagements at different events and universities.
- August 28, 2020 – Chautauqua Institution: $44,000 honorarium.
- June 16, 2020 – Salesforce Higher Ed Summit: $40,000 honorarium.
- October 5, 2020 – UBS “State of the World 2020:” $56,000 honorarium.
- October 13, 2020 – Standard Chartered “State of the World:” $36,800 honorarium.
Samantha Power is also the author of several books. Her financial disclosure includes earnings from book sales. Additionally, she received the “Aurora Humanitarian Award,” amounting to $7,500.
Power reported investment earnings between $15,001 and $50,000 from The Social+Capital Partnership GP III, L.P..
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Deposits in Various Banks
In 2020, Samantha Power held deposits in a number of banks. Some accounts contained between $100,001 and $250,000, and each of these accounts accrued interest ranging from $201 to $5,000 that year.
The financial disclosure report also shows that she earned dividends from various investment funds, each generating between $201 and $5,000 in income in 2020.
It is worth noting that the same disclosure report also includes financial details about Power’s husband, Cass Sunstein, a legal scholar. For example, he earned $224,100 as a Bloomberg columnist. Furthermore, he received tens of thousands of dollars from speaking engagements at various events. His book sales generate substantial income. For instance, in 2020, he earned between $100,001 and $1,000,000 from his book “Noise,” published by Little, Brown and Company.
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Samantha Power’s 2023 Financial Disclosure
Samantha Power’s 2023 financial disclosure shows that she continues to receive income from multiple sources. She holds deposits in several banks, generating annual interest. For example, one of her U.S. brokerage accounts, valued between $500,001 and $1,000,000, accrued between $15,001 and $50,000 in interest in 2023.
According to the 2023 disclosure report, Power is also a co-owner of assets in various funds and companies, from which she receives additional income.
Power continues to earn royalties from her books. In 2023, she earned between $2,500 and $5,000 from her book “A Problem From Hell.”
The 2023 financial disclosure also details the income of Power’s husband, Cass Sunstein. He received an annual salary of $839,904 from Harvard University. He earned tens of thousands of dollars from book sales in various countries. For example, from a single source related to the sale of his book “Noise,” he received between $100,001 and $1,000,000.
Sunstein earned income from the sale of his other books.
The financial disclosure shows that Sunstein owns assets in a number of funds and companies.
Sunstein also earns income from providing consultation services. For example, in 2023, he earned $80,000 from consulting services provided to Boston Consulting Group.
He also received income from speaking engagements at various universities and events.
The financial disclosures show that Samantha Power and her husband receive income from various sources. Thus, there is no evidence that Power accumulated $30 million through USAID. Since the financial disclosure provides value ranges of her wealth (assets, accounts), it is difficult to determine her exact income. Notably, the disclosures do not list her salary from USAID. However, Power’s 2020 financial records make it clear that she already had significant wealth before joining USAID, and her 2023 financial disclosure report shows that her shares in companies and assets have further increased.
Samantha Power served as USAID Administrator from May 2021 to January 2025.
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