What kind of return on investment does USAID achieve through its state-sponsored media operations, and how do these initiatives financially benefit the government?

According to Mike Benz's discussion of leaked information from German journalists, USAID's media operations have generated extraordinary financial returns. The head of OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) reportedly stated that over $10 billion has been returned to government coffers through these initiatives. This represents what Benz describes as a staggering 20,000% return on investment, where approximately $20 million spent on "mercenary media" and state-sponsored content has yielded $10 billion back to the government. These operations involve targeted media campaigns that can influence political outcomes, including the arrest of political figures and changes in government policies. The financial mechanism demonstrates how strategic media investments can generate massive returns through political and economic influence, revealing the calculated nature of state-sponsored propaganda operations in international relations.