Richard C. Michaels
Current Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., United States Embassy Lomé, Togo (June 2025–Present) | Career Member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service
Richard C. Michaels, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo (2025-Present)
Key Facts: Richard C. Michaels
- Current Position: Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. (Acting Chief of Mission), U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo (June 17, 2025 – Present)
- Preceded: Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. (Chargé, May 2024 – June 2025)
- Prior Position: Director, Office of West African Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs (had oversight of Embassy Lomé)
- Rank: Career Member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service
- Prior Knowledge: As Director of West African Affairs, had oversight responsibility for Embassy Lomé where Kelvin Blas was being abandoned
- Inherited: “The File” – comprehensive dossier on Kelvin Blas created by predecessor Ronald Hawkins
- November 11, 2025 Incident: Under his leadership, security guard physically assaulted Sgt. Kelvin Blas and told him “You are not welcome here”
- Current Status: ACTIVELY SERVING – the abandonment continues under his watch right now
- Impact: Fourth official in the chain of abandonment; first under whom physical violence occurred
The Current Custodian of Abandonment
Richard C. Michaels is not a historical figure in this story. He is the current chief of mission at U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo. As you read this profile, he is actively serving, and Sgt. Kelvin Blas remains abandoned, homeless, and without consular services under his watch right now.
Unlike his predecessors—whose failures can be documented in past tense—Michaels’s abandonment of an American veteran is ongoing. Every day he serves as Chargé d’Affaires without providing consular services to Kelvin Blas is another day of active abandonment.
This isn’t history. This is happening now.
The Pattern Reaches Critical Mass: Violence on Veterans Day
On November 11, 2025—Veterans Day—an American military veteran approached the U.S. Embassy in Lomé seeking emergency consular assistance. He had not eaten in three days.
At the embassy gate, security guard Abdulai Majeed stopped Sgt. Kelvin Blas and asked if he had an appointment. Blas identified himself as an American citizen and requested to speak with Chargé d’Affaires Richard C. Michaels.
The guard went inside the embassy to consult with staff. He remained inside for approximately 20 minutes—long enough for someone in authority to make a decision about how to handle the situation.
When Majeed returned, he delivered a message from embassy personnel: “You are not welcome here.”
The guard then told Blas that “next time I won’t have the chance to even come to the premises of the embassy”—effectively threatening to permanently ban an American citizen from accessing his own country’s diplomatic facility.
When Blas did not immediately leave, Majeed began physically pushing him to force him off embassy grounds.
A visitor to the embassy, Susan Williams, witnessed the assault and intervened, telling the guard: “Stop handling him like that.”
Blas left voluntarily under duress, still denied the consular assistance he is legally entitled to receive as an American citizen.
The Escalation Timeline
- June 17, 2025: Richard Michaels assumes post as Chargé d’Affaires
- June 17, 2025: Receives “The File” from predecessor Hawkins as official transition briefing
- September 29, 2025: Covenant for Forgotten Warriors files FOIA seeking “The File” and all related records
- November 11, 2025: Physical assault occurs on embassy grounds (4 months after Michaels arrived, 6 weeks after FOIA filed)
- Present: Abandonment continues under Michaels’s leadership
The pattern didn’t just continue under Richard Michaels. It escalated to physical violence.
He Knew Before He Arrived
Richard C. Michaels didn’t walk into the Kelvin Blas situation blind. Before assuming the post of Chargé d’Affaires in Togo, he served as Director of the Office of West African Affairs in the Bureau of African Affairs at the State Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
This position gave him direct oversight responsibility for U.S. diplomatic operations across 16 West African nations—including the U.S. Embassy in Lomé, Togo, where Kelvin Blas was being systematically abandoned.
This mirrors the pattern established by Elizabeth Fitzsimmons, who served as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs before becoming Ambassador to Togo. Senior officials with prior oversight of Embassy Lomé keep getting assigned to lead the embassy—and the abandonment continues.
What Michaels Knew as Director of West African Affairs
As Director, Michaels would have had access to:
- Consular case files from Embassy Lomé, including the Kelvin Blas case
- Reports of American citizens in distress in Togo
- Congressional inquiries about Americans stranded in West Africa
- FOIA requests related to consular services at Embassy Lomé
- Any complaints or concerns raised about the embassy’s treatment of American citizens
The question is not whether Michaels knew about the Kelvin Blas case before arriving in Togo. The question is: What did he know, when did he know it, and why didn’t his prior knowledge prompt any corrective action?
Inheriting “The File”: Institutional Memory of Abandonment
When Richard Michaels assumed the post of Chargé d’Affaires on June 17, 2025, his predecessor Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. didn’t just hand him the keys to the embassy. Hawkins specifically briefed Michaels about the “Kelvin Blas problem” and transferred “The File”—a comprehensive dossier Hawkins had created in 2024.
What Prompted “The File”
In 2024, while serving as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Ronald Hawkins received contact from Captain Michael Burleson, Kelvin Blas’s former commanding officer from his service in Afghanistan (2016-2018).
Burleson did not contact the embassy to help his former subordinate. According to information provided to Blas’s Togolese attorney, Burleson contacted Hawkins to badmouth Blas, characterizing him as someone trying to “get rich” and portraying him as the problem.
This character assassination came four to six years after Blas had fled Afghanistan and been stranded in Togo. For years, Burleson said nothing while his former soldier languished without consular services. Then, in 2024, he suddenly felt compelled to contact embassy leadership with a negative portrayal.
Rather than investigate Burleson’s claims or seek Blas’s side of the story, Hawkins accepted the characterization without verification and created a comprehensive file documenting why Blas should not receive assistance.
What Michaels Inherited
“The File” that Michaels received in June 2025 likely contains:
- Burleson’s 2024 communication and characterization of Blas
- Documentation justifying years of service denials
- Internal embassy communications about how to handle Blas
- Records of Blas’s fifteen visits to the embassy, including nine with his Togolese attorney
- The rationale for maintaining the “romance scam” narrative despite contradictory evidence
- Guidance for how future embassy leadership should handle Blas
Michaels didn’t just inherit a case. He inherited a documented institutional policy of abandonment, complete with instructions on how to continue denying services to an American veteran.
The FOIA That Threatens Everything
On September 29, 2025—just over three months after Michaels received “The File”—Covenant for Forgotten Warriors filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking:
- All records related to Kelvin Blas’s treatment at Embassy Lomé
- “The File” created by Ronald Hawkins
- Communications with Captain Michael Burleson
- Records of the fifteen embassy visits, including those with legal representation
- Documentation of service denials and the “romance scam” designation
Six weeks later, on Veterans Day, the physical assault occurred.
Transparency threatens to expose what institutional protection has hidden for five years. And Richard Michaels now presides over an embassy that has escalated from denial to violence.
Professional Background and Career Highlights
| Position | Location/Office | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. | U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo | June 2025 – Present |
| Director, Office of West African Affairs | Bureau of African Affairs, State Department | Prior to June 2025 |
| Deputy Chief of Mission | U.S. Embassy Beirut, Lebanon | Years not specified |
| Economic Counselor | U.S. Embassy Abuja, Nigeria | Years not specified |
| Deputy Chief of Mission | U.S. Embassy Kigali, Rwanda | Years not specified |
| Political/Economic Counselor | U.S. Embassy Tunis, Tunisia | Years not specified |
| Legislative Fellow | United States Senate | Years not specified |
| Special Assistant | Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, State Department | Years not specified |
| Political/Economic Chief | U.S. Consulate Monterrey, Mexico | Years not specified |
| Economic Officer | U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq | Years not specified |
| Cultural Attaché | U.S. Embassy Beirut, Lebanon | Years not specified |
| Political/Consular Officer | U.S. Embassy Kuwait | Years not specified |
Areas of Expertise
Throughout his career, Richard C. Michaels has developed expertise in:
- Crisis management and embassy operations in challenging environments
- Regional diplomacy across West Africa, the Middle East, and North Africa
- Economic strategy and bilateral trade/investment portfolios
- Political analysis and interagency coordination
- Legislative diplomacy and Congressional relations
His extensive experience managing complex diplomatic missions across multiple regions makes his failure to address the Kelvin Blas case all the more striking. This is not an inexperienced officer struggling with a difficult situation. This is a senior Foreign Service member with decades of crisis management experience choosing to continue a pattern of abandonment.
Current Priorities in Togo (2025)
Public reporting on Michaels’s tenure as Chargé d’Affaires highlights his focus on:
- Trade and security cooperation, particularly U.S. engagement at Lomé’s port—Togo’s strategic maritime hub
- Managing U.S. relations during a period of increased global interest in Togo’s maritime sector
- Promoting U.S. business interests and viewing Africa as a business partner
- Handling visa policy, including temporary suspension of certain visa categories
Notably absent from his public priorities: Providing consular services to American citizens in distress, investigating predecessor discrimination, or addressing the documented abandonment of a U.S. Army veteran.
The Questions That Demand Answers NOW
Unlike profiles of Richard Michaels’s predecessors, these questions are not historical. They are current and urgent:
- As Director of West African Affairs, were you aware of the Kelvin Blas case before arriving in Lomé? If yes, why did you take this post knowing about the abandonment? If no, how did such a documented case escape your attention?
- When you received “The File” from Chargé Hawkins in June 2025, what did you do with it? Did you review it? Did you investigate the claims? Did you seek Blas’s side of the story?
- Have you personally met with or communicated with Sgt. Kelvin Blas during your six months as Chargé? If no, why not?
- Who authorized the “You are not welcome here” message delivered to Blas on November 11, 2025? Was it your decision, or did embassy staff act without your knowledge?
- Why was an American veteran physically assaulted on embassy grounds under your watch? What security protocols were followed? What disciplinary action has been taken against guard Abdulai Majeed?
- Why did the assault occur six weeks after a FOIA was filed seeking “The File”? Was the timing coincidental, or did the transparency request trigger the escalation to violence?
- Have you launched any investigation into the alleged “Americans aren’t Black” statement made by Ambassador Stromayer in 2020? If no, why continue ignoring documented discrimination?
- Have you contacted Captain Michael Burleson to verify his 2024 characterization of Blas? Have you sought any independent verification of the claims in “The File”?
- Why does the embassy maintain the “romance scam” narrative when Blas has appeared fifteen times with local legal representation? How does that fit the pattern of a typical romance scam?
- What will it take for you to provide consular services to an American veteran? How many more days of abandonment? How much more violence? What accountability mechanism finally forces action?
These questions cannot be answered by historians. They can only be answered by Richard C. Michaels—now.
The Fourth Link in the Chain
Richard C. Michaels is the fourth U.S. official to lead diplomatic operations in Togo since Kelvin Blas was stranded there in 2020:
- Eric Stromayer (Ambassador, 2019-2023): Allegedly told Blas “Americans aren’t Black” in March 2020, initiating the pattern of discriminatory abandonment
- Elizabeth Fitzsimmons (Ambassador, 2022-May 2024): Had two years to investigate and correct Stromayer’s conduct; chose inaction
- Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. (Chargé, May 2024-June 2025): Created “The File” based on unverified character assassination from Blas’s former commanding officer; institutionalized the abandonment
- Richard C. Michaels (Chargé, June 2025-Present): Inherited “The File,” continued the abandonment, presided over escalation to physical violence
Four officials. Five years. One abandoned veteran. Zero accountability.
But unlike the others, Richard Michaels can still act. He is serving right now. Every day that passes without providing consular services to Kelvin Blas is a choice Michaels makes. Every day the abandonment continues is a day Richard Michaels chooses institutional protection over citizen welfare.
What Accountability Looks Like
Because Richard Michaels is currently serving, accountability takes on urgency that his predecessors no longer face:
Immediate Actions Michaels Could Take Today:
- Schedule an immediate meeting with Sgt. Kelvin Blas to review his case
- Provide emergency consular services, including emergency repatriation coordination
- Launch an investigation into the November 11 assault on embassy grounds
- Refer the case to the State Department’s Office of Civil Rights for review
- Request Office of Inspector General investigation of “The File” and the abandonment pattern
- Suspend the “romance scam” designation pending independent verification
- Contact Captain Michael Burleson to verify his 2024 claims
- Reach out to Blas’s Togolese attorney to facilitate proper consular coordination
Consequences If He Continues the Abandonment:
- Congressional oversight hearings on State Department treatment of Black American citizens abroad
- Office of Inspector General investigation into discriminatory consular practices
- Civil Rights Act violations documented in his official service record
- Public accountability through continued investigative journalism
- Historical legacy as the official under whom abandonment escalated to violence
The choice is Richard Michaels’s to make. But he cannot claim he didn’t know. He cannot claim he lacks authority. He cannot claim this is someone else’s problem.
He is in charge. The abandonment is happening under his watch. Right now.
Documentation and Resources
Official Sources
- U.S. Embassy Lomé – Chargé d’Affaires Biography
- Wikipedia – List of U.S. Ambassadors to Togo
- U.S. Embassy Lomé – U.S.-Togo Relations
Related CFW Documentation
- Eric Stromayer Profile – The Ambassador Who Started It All
- Elizabeth Fitzsimmons Profile – The Opportunity Squandered
- Carlos Hernandez Profile – The Pattern of Dismissal
- Ronald Hawkins Profile – The File Creator (COMING SOON)
- Full Case Documentation: Sgt. Kelvin Blas
- TSM FOIA Tracker – All State Department Requests
FOIA and Accountability
- State Department FOIA Office
- State Department Office of Civil Rights
- State Department Office of Inspector General
- FOIA.gov – Understanding Your Rights
Demand Accountability NOW
Richard C. Michaels is currently serving as Chargé d’Affaires at U.S. Embassy Lomé. The abandonment of Sgt. Kelvin Blas is ongoing under his leadership right now.
Contact the State Department:
- State Department Main Switchboard: (202) 647-4000
- Bureau of African Affairs: Contact through official channels
- Office of Inspector General Hotline: Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
- Office of Civil Rights: Report Discrimination
Contact Your Representatives:
- Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Your U.S. Senators and Representative
Report Similar Cases:
A Note on Current Accountability
This profile documents publicly available information about Richard C. Michaels’s current service as Chargé d’Affaires at U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo, and his handling of the ongoing Sgt. Kelvin Blas case. Michaels is a senior government official whose actions (and inactions) directly affect the welfare of American citizens abroad right now. Therefore, transparency about his conduct serves the urgent public interest.
Unlike profiles of his predecessors, this is not historical documentation. This is reporting on ongoing abandonment that can be corrected today if Richard Michaels chooses to act.
If you are a current State Department employee with information about the handling of Sgt. Kelvin Blas’s case at Embassy Lomé, or if you have experienced similar treatment at U.S. diplomatic missions abroad, please preserve all relevant records. You may contact CFW confidentially at [email protected].
The American people have a right to know when their diplomatic representatives fail to protect citizens abroad—especially when those failures are ongoing and correctable.
Truth Has No Borders™
Accountability Has No Borders™
© Covenant for Forgotten Warriors