Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has placed private equity and finance executives in key roles at the Social Security Administration (SSA), reinforcing Donald Trump’s push to eliminate waste and fraud in federal programs. 

Among those appointed are Antonio Gracias of Valor Equity Partners, an early investor in Tesla and SpaceX, former Lone Pine Capital executive Scott Coulter, and ex-Shift4 executive Michael Russo, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Russo, who joined SSA as chief information officer on February 3, introduced himself as a DOGE representative, according to agency filings. He recruited Akash Bobba, a former Palantir intern, to analyze Social Security data. According to Tiffany Flick, the agency’s former chief of staff, Bobba’s hiring process deviated from protocol, with Russo and Steve Davis—who runs Musk’s Boring Co. and is also involved with DOGE—pressuring officials to expedite his credentials.

Trump has frequently cited Social Security as a prime example of government inefficiency, alleging widespread fraud involving recipients of improbable ages. “We’re going to get fraud out of there,” he told Fox Business, repeating claims that millions of centenarians are still receiving benefits. However, SSA acting commissioner Leland Dudek, appointed by Trump in February, has pushed back on such assertions, arguing that missing death records in SSA’s database do not equate to fraudulent payouts.

The SSA is undergoing a major restructuring, with senior officials leaving and job cuts expected. Democrats have raised concerns that these changes could threaten a widely supported benefits program. Meanwhile, Musk’s use of private equity veterans in the overhaul signals a financial sector-driven approach to government cost-cutting.