Army Maj. Gen. Ronald Lewis also had numerous "improper interactions with females," on various business-related trips. | Getty Images Defense watchdog finds ex-Pentagon official used federal credit card for strippers

Defense Secretary Ash Carter's former senior military aide used his government-issued credit card at the “Candy Bar” club in the “Hooker Hill” area of Seoul, South Korea, and the "Cica Cica Boom" club in Rome, among other damning offenses, according to a salacious new report from the Pentagon's inspector general.

Army Maj. Gen. Ronald Lewis — who served as Carter's special assistant and then as senior military assistant — misused his government travel charge card for personal expenses, lied about the misuse and "engaged in conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman on multiple occasions, which included patronizing an establishment off-limits to U.S. military personnel, drinking to excess in public, and improper interactions with females," the Defense Department Inspector General charges in an investigation released on Thursday.


The IG report substantiates three allegations Carter's office made against Lewis. The incidents all took place in 2015 while Lewis traveled with Carter on official business.

In April 2015, the report says, Lewis visited the Candy Bar, an off-limits establishment in an area of Seoul locally known as “Hooker Hill.”

Lewis charged roughly $1,121 to his government card at the club, including an 81 percent tip. When asked in a DoD IG interview why he used his government card, he said, “I don't know in this particular case.”

While traveling with Carter to Rome several months later in October, Lewis stopped by the Cica Cica Boom club, an establishment advertising “Sexy Show,” “Fans Club” and “Lap Dance.”

"After dancing with local women and drinking to 'more than moderation' for three hours," he tried and failed to swipe his personal debit card to pay for the $1,755.98 racked up at the club.

Unable to pay the steep tab, Lewis returned to the Defense secretary delegation’s hotel at 1:40 a.m., to grab his government card from a subordinate, bringing along a female employee of the club.

"The subordinate’s room was in the same hallway as the Secretary of Defense’s room, and the female club escort waited for MG Lewis in that hallway," according to the report.

Lewis also had numerous "improper interactions with females," on trips with Carter in Hawaii, Malaysia and Palo Alto, Calif.

Among the allegations, the IG found Lewis ordered a female service member to report to his hotel room in California for a briefing while he was "shirtless and dressed only in gym shorts."

An officer who witnessed the incidents told IG investigators that he could see the female service member was embarrassed by the situation, and expected Lewis to excuse himself to put clothes, but “unfortunately that was not the case.”

Another female service member relayed to the IG that Lewis drank with her in Hawaii in November then invited her to his hotel room where he "approached her closely in a manner that backed her into a wall and caused her to believe he wanted some kind of physical contact."

The service member rejected his advance.

Lewis told the IG initially that he had no recollection of physical contact with the female in his room, then later denied any such attempt.

At the Pentagon, Carter said he was briefed on findings from the investigation, but "will defer any further comment on the report pending the Army's review."

"As I said when I first learned about allegations of misconduct against Maj. Gen. Lewis and removed him as my senior military assistant, I expect the highest possible standards of conduct from the men and women in this department particularly from those serving in the most senior positions," Carter said in a statement. "There is no exception."

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