Western Reader
In a stunning twist of events, Charles McGonigal, the former FBI agent who played a key role in the investigation into alleged Trump-Russia connections, is expected to plead guilty to charges of unlawfully working for a Russian oligarch.
This revelation has shocked the nation, as it turns out that one of the prominent figures accusing former President Trump of secret dealings with Russia was himself connected to influential Russians.
McGonigal, a seasoned 54-year-old counterintelligence agent based in New York, was indicted in January on charges of money laundering and violating U.S. sanctions by working for Russian business magnate Oleg Deripaska.
The irony is palpable – the man who once spearheaded an investigation into supposed Russian interference in American politics was himself secretly involved with a Russian oligarch.
🚨 REMINDER: The same DOJ that repeatedly & systematically broke the law to concoct Russiagate is behind Trump’s most recent indictment.
*Of course* there is widespread distrust for this institution—and fully-justified suspicion that these indictments are political. pic.twitter.com/5BjdvejtHK
— System Update (@SystemUpdate_) August 9, 2023
During his tenure at the FBI, McGonigal had access to classified information, including the knowledge that Deripaska was a Russian oligarch closely associated with the Kremlin and under U.S. sanctions.
Despite this knowledge, McGonigal reportedly attempted to have Deripaska removed from the U.S. sanctions list, which clearly violated his professional obligations and legal responsibilities.
McGonigal’s indictment also revealed that he failed to report his interactions with foreign authorities, as required by law.
Instead, he allegedly concealed these links by engaging in business activities and overseas trips that conflicted with his duties.
This blatant disregard for protocol raises serious questions about the integrity of the investigations he led, particularly the probe into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties with Russia.
RussiaGate https://t.co/uiPZoYqPQE
— Amanda (@Mandy80814996) August 9, 2023
Interestingly, McGonigal was among the first to be briefed on a conversation between Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos and an Australian diplomat.
In this conversation, Papadopoulos claimed that Russia had damaging information about Hillary Clinton’s emails. McGonigal did report this conversation to the FBI in July 2016, sparking an investigation into potential conspiracies involving the Trump campaign and Russia.
However, the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller found no substantial evidence to establish guilt, despite lasting 22 months and costing taxpayers approximately $32 million.
After leaving the FBI in 2019, McGonigal began working as a consultant for a law firm sought by a representative of Deripaska to lift the sanctions on the Russian oligarch.
He reportedly collaborated with another agent and a court interpreter at Deripaska’s European properties to negotiate a deal and attempt to remove the penalties in exchange for financial compensation.
McGonigal, who has been free on a $500,000 bond since his arrest in January, is now being summoned back to court. His lawyers have hinted that he plans to plead guilty to his crimes.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of integrity and transparency in our institutions, especially when those in positions of power are involved.
In a separate case, McGonigal was charged in Washington, D.C., with concealing $225,000 in payments from a former member of Albania’s intelligence agency and holding a secret meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
He pleaded not guilty in this case, which is still pending.
This article appeared in Watch Dog News and has been published here with permission.
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