Ex-FBI official in Trump-Russia probe who admitted to Russian oligarch scheme nearing plea deal in 2nd DC case

The former FBI official who played a role in the Trump-Russia probe and recently pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring with a Russian oligarch has asked a Washington, D. C., federal judge for more time to craft a plea deal in connection to a second, more serious indictment with charges that could land him behind bars for decades.

Last month, Charles McGonigal, the former head of the FBI’s counterintelligence division in New York, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of New York to a single count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and to commit money laundering in connection with his 2021 agreement to provide services to sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

McGonigal was also slapped earlier this year with a nine-count indictment in the District of Columbia for allegedly requesting and concealing at least $225,000 in cash he allegedly received from a former Albanian intelligence official while working for the FBI and misleading the bureau about his travels abroad to meet with foreign nationals.

In an order submitted in Washington, D. C., federal court Monday, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly put off McGonigal's status hearing originally scheduled for Wednesday until Sept. 22.

McGonigal's attorneys had asked the court in a Sept. 8 motion for a roughly weeklong delay "to provide the parties additional time to negotiate a potential resolution of this case in advance of the next status conference." Defense counsel agreed to have the time between Sept. 13-21 be excluded from the calculation of when a delay could violate his right to a speedy trial so that an agreement could be reached, adding that prosecutors were not opposed to the delay.

McGonigal was Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s counterintelligence division in New York from 2016 to 2018. He supervised investigations of Russian oligarchs, including Deripaska.

The U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia later affirmed the sanctions against Deripaska, finding there was evidence he had acted as an agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

McGonigal could face a five-year prison term in connection to the New York case, and Judge Jennifer H. Rearden last month scheduled his sentencing for Dec. 14.

In Washington, D. C., McGonigal was indicted on the charge of falsification of records and documents, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The nine-count indictment also included the charge of making false statements, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count. The charges also carry potential financial penalties.... (Read more)

Latest News