Ex-Afghan president likely did not flee Afghanistan with millions, report finds

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his senior advisers likely fled Afghanistan without millions that went missing during the Taliban takeover, contrary to rumors, an oversight report has found. Since the government’s records are now controlled by the Taliban, it might be hard to find the definitive culprit.

The interim report released by the special Inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction concluded that during the collapse of the government last summer, Ghani and his advisers may have taken closer to $500,000 as they left the country by helicopter, but the amount did not exceed $1 million, the report found.

The report assessed that $169 million in hundred dollar bills stacked end to end “would be somewhat larger than a standard American three seater couch,” and would weigh nearly two tons.

The presidential helicopters were too overloaded with passengers and fuel to have made room for additional cargo, especially cargo weighing two tons, according to the interim report.