Plot Twist: Ex-FBI Intel Chief Who Investigated Trump-Russia Collusion Gets 4 Years in Prison

Charles McGonigal, one of the highest-ranking FBI officials to ever be convicted of a crime, was sentenced to 50 months for helping Putin's 'henchman'.

Facts Matter

In a turn of events, a former top FBI official, who played a key role in the Trump-Russia collusion probe, was just sentenced to four years in prison for colluding with Russia.

Those four years might only be the beginning, given that he is facing indictments for hiding $225,000 in payments from a former Albanian intelligence officer.

The man in question is named Charles McGonigal—a top FBI official who previously led the FBI’s New York counterintelligence division.

In January of this year, Mr. McGonigal was arrested and slapped with two separate indictments. One indictment was related to the secret Albanian money (that case is still ongoing), while the second was related to Mr. McGonigal taking bribes from a Russian oligarch to investigate a rival Russian oligarch.

The second indictment charged Mr. McGonigal with counts including conspiracy to evade U.S. sanctions, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to violate federal law against doing business with sanctioned individuals.

Mr. McGonigal pled guilty to these charges and was sentenced to four years in prison, as well as a fine of $40,000.

By Bart Jansen

WASHINGTON – Charles McGonigal, a former top FBI counterintelligence official, was sentenced Thursday to more than four years in prison over his work as a paid snoop for a billionaire Russian oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rearden sentenced McGonigal to four years and two months and fined him $40,000. The former chief of FBI's counterintelligence division in New York pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions on Russia and money laundering over his relationship with Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

McGonigal, 55, told the judge in shaky voice on Thursday that he had a “deep sense of remorse and am sorry for my actions.”

“I recognize more than ever that I’ve betrayed the confidence and trust of those close to me,” he said. “For the rest of my life, I will be fighting to regain that trust.”

McGonigal, who led the FBI's New York counterintelligence office from 2016 until his retirement in 2018, still faces sentencing in February for not reporting $225,000 he received from a foreign intelligence source from Albania.

The twin cases revealed a top FBI official abusing the levers of power while on the job to enrich himself by digging up dirt on rivals of Deripaska, whom federal prosecutors have called Putin's "henchman."

“Charles McGonigal’s conduct can be summed up in one word – betrayal,'" said Larissa Knapp, executive assistant director of the FBI's national security branch. "He betrayed everything he once swore to protect.” 

McGonigal was paid to investigate rival oligarch to Deripaska

In the New York case, the Treasury Department had sanctioned Deripaska in April 2018 after finding he acted as an agent of the iron-fisted Russian president.

In the course of his official duties, McGonigal helped investigate Deripaska and other Russian oligarchs. In 2018, McGonigal received a then-classified list of Russian oligarchs with close ties to the Kremlin who would be considered for sanctions.

McGonigal told the judge at his August plea hearing he accepted more than $17,000 to help Deripaska collect derogatory information about the rival oligarch.

Prosecutors say McGonigal was also trying to help Deripaska get off the sanctions list and was in negotiations along with other co-conspirators to receive a fee of between $650,000 and $3 million to hunt for electronic files revealing $500 million in hidden assets belonging to Deripaska's rival.

“Charles McGonigal helped advance the interests of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, breaking his oath to safeguard our nation and uphold its laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

McGonigal tried to conceal Deripaska’s involvement by not directly naming him in electronic communications, by using shell companies to receive payments and by using a forged signature on a contract, according to federal prosecutors.

“Charles McGonigal violated the trust his country placed in him by using his high-level position at the FBI to prepare for his future in business,” said Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

“Once he left public service, he jeopardized our national security by providing services to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian tycoon who acts as Vladimir Putin’s agent. "

McGonigal didn't tell FBI he got $225,000 from intelligence source

In the Washington case, McGonigal received $225,000 from a former foreign security officer and businessperson, who was also an FBI informant.

McGonigal pleaded guilty to a charge of concealing material facts about his travel and meetings with foreigners, which he didn’t report as required. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly set sentencing for Feb. 16.

U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves described in the plea agreement how McGonigal traveled to Albania and Kosovo in 2017 and 2018 for a business partnership with an unnamed associate who was born in Albania and became a U.S. citizen living in New Jersey.

“During the relevant time frame, defendant McGonigal knew that it was improper to engage in personal business development efforts without disclosing the activities to the FBI,” the plea agreement said.

The business partner introduced McGonigal to an Albanian citizen who was employed by a Chinese energy conglomerate and who served as an informal adviser to Albania’s prime minister, according to court records.

In September 2017, McGonigal flew to Albania and met with the prime minister, according to court records. McGonigal, whose business had an interest in oil field drilling licenses, warned the prime minister against awarding drilling licenses to Russian companies, according to court records. McGonigal gave the prime minister an FBI hat as a gesture of appreciation.

During the same trip, McGonigal’s business partner also introduced him to another Albanian politician who asked him to investigate an alleged plot to kill the politician, according to court records. McGonigal drove to Kosovo to investigate the tip and provided an FBI hat to a Kosovar politician, according to court records.

On Oct. 5, 2017, McGonigal got $80,000 in cash from his business partner in a car parked outside a New York restaurant, according to court records.

The money was called a loan, but he never repaid it or two other loans of $80,000 and $65,000, according to court records.

In November 2017, McGonigal flew to Austria, where he met with the Albanian politician, according to court records. During the trip, McGonigal flew to Albania with the politician, according to court documents.

Days after returning home, McGonigal informed the Justice Department about a potential criminal investigation involving a U.S. citizen registered to lobby on behalf of an Albanian opposition political party, according to court records.

In February 2018, the FBI opened an investigation into the lobbyist and identified McGonigal’s business partner as a confidential informant, according to court records. The Albanian politician later helped set up a meeting between the FBI and European witnesses, according to court records.