CBS News reported Thursday that Wounded Warrior Project CEO Steven Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano have been fired in the wake of allegations of lavish spending at the charity.
Wounded Warrior Project, founded in 2003, has its headquarters in Jacksonville.
The allegations surfaced in late January, when a CBS News investigation revealed lavish spending by the Wounded Warrior Project. Former employees claimed the charity wasted millions of dollars on 5-star hotels and alcohol.
A video of a man identified as the CEO — Steven Nardizzi — rappelling down the side of a hotel during a conference paid for by the charity.
Many of the allegations were reported by former employee Erick Millette, a wounded veteran who spoke of $2,500 bar tabs with money meant to help wounded veterans.
Millette quit the charity after working there for two years.
In January, CBS News revealed that the organization has a $500,000 surplus that sits in a reserve account while the organization was out asking for more donations.
Nardizzi had been the head of Wounded Warrior Project since 2009. CBS News' investigation said that spending under his leadership went from $1.7 million in 2010 to $26 million in 2014.
Nardizzi's salary was reported at nearly $500,000, which he defended by saying that his salary was less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the donations that come in.
Wounded Warrior Project defended itself publicly via spokesman Dan Nevins, a wounded warrior himself.
"Every dollar that comes in is used extremely wisely," Nevins said in January.
