Per diem for that city in Colombia can be more than $400.00 / day That's tax free and is in addition to salary and other benefits.. and of course it is seven days a week working in country or not.
BTW, for the GSA boys and girls the per diem for Las Vegas I believe is a little over $100 / day. Seems small to me but could be.
There are (were) other expenses covered beyond what per diem such as transportation to/from the airport and taxis in country. Those you had to justify.
.. and you can collect per diem in advance..
unless they changed things since the Nixon Administration.
You can ask for an ADVANCE on your per-diem, but it is paid after the fact. So, IF the independent contractors (a.k.a. “Hookers”) were paid in cash, it would have been from personal funds.
They did not break any local laws, so what is the deal?
Guys and gals, can we just try to get this straight. Per diem allowance in fact consists of two pieces: lodging, which is reimbursed up to the max when you submit receipts; and, meals and inceidental expenses (M&IE), which is a set amount that you just get and no receipts are required. State Department sets foreign per diem rates and GSA sets the domestic U.S. rates. For instance the hotel allowance in Cartagena is $304, and meals is $107.
Las Vegas lodging is $99 and meals is $71.
King is blowing smoke. There is no way that someone's per diem covers the kinds of services that are under discussion.