3 more Secret Service agents lose jobs over Colombia prostitution scandal

Three more Secret Service employees were forced out of their jobs Tuesday over the Colombia prostitution scandal, according to news reports.

A dozen Secret Service personnel and another 12 military enlistees are being investigated for cavorting with up to 20 prostitutes in Cartagena in the lead-up President Barack Obama's visit there to attend a summit meeting with Latin American leaders.

A total of nine have now either resigned or been removed from their posts.

Of those released Tuesday, two were resigning, while a third is having his security clearance revoked and will leave the agency, Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the chairman of the House homeland security committee, told Politico.

Paul Morrissey, the Secret Service's assistant director, reportedly confirmed the "personnel changes" in a statement.

According to the Huffington Post, King said one of the resigning employees stayed at the Hilton in Cartagena, the same hotel where Obama stayed, while the others stayed at a nearby hotel.

More from GlobalPost: Secret Service prostitution: 3 more resign

On Monday, White House spokesman Jay Carney said an internal review had found no wrongdoing by members of the Obama advance team in Colombia ahead of the president's trip, CNN reported. 

Meanwhile, three agency employees had been cleared of the most serious allegations but were still facing possible administrative discipline

President Barack Obama defended the agency Tuesday on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."

"The Secret Service, these guys are incredible. They protect me. They protect Michelle. They protect the girls," Obama said. ''A couple of knuckleheads shouldn't detract from what they do."

More from GlobalPost: Obama says Secret Service scandal 'a little distracting'