The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the alliance’s central hub for military logistics and acquisitions, is facing mounting criticism as its general manager, Stacy Cummings, comes under fire for alleged inaction and favoritism in the wake of a sprawling corruption scandal. Headquartered in Capellen, Luxembourg, the NSPA has transformed dramatically since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Once a relatively low-profile body, it now manages procurement contracts projected at €9.5 billion in 2025, nearly triple its 2021 volume.
With 1,600 staff and responsibilities ranging from weapons systems and ammunition to fuel deliveries and catering, the agency has become a critical player in NATO’s rearmament drive.
Scandal, Allegations, and Oversight Challenges
Internal documents obtained by investigative outlet Follow the Money and its media partners reveal that Cummings, who took charge in September 2021 after a two-decade career in the U.S. government, has faced repeated criticism from senior officials.
On February 21, 2025, Geneviève Machin, NSPA’s human resources director, accused Cummings of failing to investigate corruption cases and of pressuring her to alter recruitment reports. Machin was suspended the day after sending her letter to NATO member states, and her contract was not renewed. In October, outgoing internal audit chief Gerardo Bellantone reported deficiencies in the NSPA’s anti-fraud framework and said Cummings opposed a corruption audit in the 2025 plan. He warned of threats to audit independence after Cummings allegedly requested changes to the 2026 audit plan. At least five judicial investigations linked to the NSPA have surfaced: two in the United States, both mysteriously dropped in July, one in Romania, one in Belgium, and one in Luxembourg.
Allegations include millions of euros in bribes paid by defense companies seeking NATO contracts.
Recent reports also highlight arrests and raids in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, and the United States, focusing on irregularities in ammunition and drone procurement. The scandal has exposed deep divisions within the agency.
A senior NSPA employee described corruption as an “enduring disease” and claimed rules “do not apply to the general manager and those in her inner circle.”
Supervisory board members from NATO nations failed to agree on whether to add an anti-corruption audit to the 2025 plan, delaying it until 2026. NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart emphasized that the alliance has “no tolerance for fraud or corruption” but declined to comment on specific staffing matters. She noted that the NSPA’s supervisory board, comprising representatives from all member states, will handle any allegations of misconduct. Cummings’ five-year term runs until August 31, 2026, but the selection process for her successor has already begun, with applications closing in October.
Whether she completes her term may depend on the outcome of ongoing investigations and the delivery of an external report into Machin’s allegations, which remains delayed.
As NATO ramps up spending, the integrity of its procurement agency will be a critical test of credibility.