Ransom paid to con man
Rep. Hunter, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, states in a letter that Joint Special Operations Command made the payment covertly as part of a release deal, but that it was stolen by the Afghan intermediary claiming to represent the Haqqani terrorist network. Letter addressed to Hagel:
Given the significance of this matter, as well as the fact that Pentagon officials have denied that a payment was even considered — and you also said you were unaware of any such attempt — I ask you to immediately inquire with JSOC to determine the specific order of events
The Pentagon says the payment wasn’t a ransom, but was meant to be made in exchange for intelligence leading to Bergdahl’s release.