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Charles McGonigal's experience as an FBI agent, when he started working with the Russian oligarch

Politiko 2023-01-26 14:33:38

Charles McGonigal's experience as an FBI agent, when he started working

A few days ago, former FBI agent, Charles McGonigal was arrested by the police. McGonigal was banned after it was discovered that he had helped sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

His arrest led to the discovery of the connections between McGonigal and Prime Minister Edi Rama. Public opinion in the country is involved in the debate over the suspicions that Rama paid the former agent through two lobbyists 225 thousand dollars to harm the opposition.

But who is McGonigal and what are the connections to the Russians?

Charles McGonigal joined the FBI in 1996 and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2016, then-FBI Director James Comey appointed McGonigal to head the agency's Counterintelligence Division, based out of the New York City office.

McGonigal was involved in some of the highest-profile cases handled by the agency during his tenure. In 2010, McGonigal headed the FBI's WikiLeaks Task Force, building the case that eventually led to the arrest of whistleblower and activist Chelsea Manning.

In 2014, McGonigal was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Baltimore Field Office's Cyber, Counterintelligence, Counterproliferation and Espionage programs.

The investigation revealed that after leaving the FBI in 2019, McGonigal began working closely with Deripaska, trying to get sanctions lifted from the Russian businessman.

He met with the Russian oligarch at his homes in London and Vienna. In the years since, prosecutors allege that McGonigal conspired to violate US sanctions and that he "intentionally received certain funds, goods and services."

Accepting such contributions was illegal because the Russian oligarch was listed as a "specially designated person" as part of the US sanctions package.

 

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