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New York Times: Rama Has Portrayed Himself Against Russia's War But Collaborated With Russian Oligarch's Corrupt Agent

Politiko 2023-09-23 12:03:43

New York Times: Rama Has Portrayed Himself Against Russia's War But

The well-known American newspaper "New York Times" has paid attention to the case of "McGonigal", the former FBI agent who yesterday pleaded guilty in court to having received 225,000 dollars from the Albanian-American, Agron Nezaj, who, according to court documents, was became the informant for the FBI investigation regarding his contacts and meetings in Albania.

The newspaper disclosed the details of the session, but also focused on the impact of his relationship with Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The article states that McGonigal developed a relationship with the Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and took steps to benefit the politician.

However, " Lord Rama has portrayed himself as a reformer and opposed to Russia's war in Ukraine. But after his retirement in 2018, Mr. McGonigal worked on the other side, on the payroll of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, once seen as a member of President Vladimir V. Putin's inner circle."

Excerpt from the article:

The episodes described in a pair of indictments unsealed last week by federal prosecutors in Washington and New York portray Mr. McGonigal, 54, as an aggressive entrepreneur seeking to build business through the contacts and power his position afforded him, operating almost in plain sight without being detected despite the danger that someone with his knowledge might pose if corrupted.

While still at the FBI, he developed a relationship with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and took steps to benefit the politician, according to prosecutors in Washington. Mr. Rama has portrayed himself as a reformer and opposed to Russia's war in Ukraine. But after his retirement in 2018, Mr. McGonigal worked on the other side, on the payroll of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, once seen as a member of President Vladimir V. Putin's inner circle, according to the indictment. to Mr. McGonigal and another. husband, Sergey Shestakov, in New York.

A spokesman for the FBI's New York office declined to comment.

Gatishmëria e zotit McGonigal për t'u takuar me kreun e shtetit në Shqipëri, një vend që ka një prani diplomatike amerikane, sugjeron se ai nuk po e mbante të fshehtë përfshirjen e tij atje nga kolegët, thanë ish-zyrtarët. Ai gjithashtu përdori F.B.I. adresa e emailit dhe telefoni për çështjet që lidhen me Shqipërinë, tha një person me njohuri në hetim.

Por çfarëdo preteksti zyrtar që mund të kishte zoti McGonigal për ato udhëtime dhe shoqata mund të kishte shërbyer gjithashtu si mbulesë për aktivitete më të diskutueshme, thanë të tjerë.             

The Washington indictment details how, over the course of two years, Mr. McGonigal submitted false financial information to the FBI The forms did not accept payment from a New Jersey businessman who was a former employee of an Albanian intelligence agency, as well as free international travel. Prosecutors said Mr. McGonigal also lied about his travel destinations and interactions with foreigners on forms he was required to fill out and took actions that appeared to conflict with his government duties.

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