Per this report, this is a much bigger story than we'd been led to believe.
First of all, it was never clear to me that the Sherrods pocketed the $13 million themselves. I had thought that the whole settlement was $13 million, and that it was divided among a small group of black farmers.
If this report is accurate, what happened was much worse than that.
I understand what you’re stating and you’re right.
I suspect the $13M went to the Sherrods. The first class action suit cost USDA about $2B and was settled in 1999. Since then they have found many more “farmers” impacted and that is why Obama needed the extra $1.25B. I am sure if this is allowed to stand, there will be many more “farmers” found in the wood pile.