Top FBI Agent Involved In Trump-Russia Probe Arrested For Allegedly Conspiring With Russian Oligarch

An ex-top FBI An agent involved in the Trump Russia probe was arrested this weekend for alleged activities involving a Russian oligarch.

On Monday, the Southern District of New York released five-count indictments against Charles McGonigal (former Special Agent In Charge Of New York FBI Counterintelligence Division) and Sergey Shestakov.

They were charged with conspiring to and violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.“IEEPA”) and with conspiring to commit money laundering and money laundering. Shestakov was also accused of lying to the FBI.

McGonigal, who retired from the DOJ in 2018, was listed as having been identified by the DOJ. “supervised and participated in investigations of Russian oligarchs, including Deripaska,” During his time at FBI. Shestakov was a former Soviet diplomat and Russian diplomat. He later moved to America and became a government translator.

The DOJ’s statement alleged:

MCGONIGAL, SHESTAKOV, and SHESTAKOV conspired in 2021 to provide services for Deripaska. This was in violation of U.S. Sanctions imposed on Deripaskaska in 2018.  MCGONIGAL was negotiating with Deripaska’s agent. SHESTAKOV and SHESTAKOV then agreed to conduct an investigation into a rival Russian oligarch, in return for hidden payments from Deripaska.  As part of their negotiations with Deripaska’s agent, MCGONIGAL, SHESTAKOV, and the agent attempted to conceal Deripaska’s involvement by, among other means, not directly naming Deripaska in electronic communications, using shell companies as counterparties in the contract that outlined the services to be performed, using a forged signature on that contract, and using the same shell companies to send and receive payments from Deripaska.

MCGONIGAL, SHESTAKOV knew that their actions were in violation of U.S. sanctions. MCGONIGAL, who was serving as SAC at the time, received classified information that Deripaska would soon be added to a list oligarchs that could be subject to sanctions. This was part of the process that resulted in the imposition sanctions against Deripaska.  MCGONIGAL AND SHESTAKOV lobbied for Deripaska in a futile effort to lift sanctions against her in 2019.  In November 2021, when FBI agents questioned SHESTAKOV about the nature of his and MCGONIGAL’s relationship with Deripaska’s agent, SHESTAKOV made false statements in a recorded interview.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated that both men were being treated equally “should have known better” And that the Southern District of New York would “continue to prosecute those who violate U.S. sanctions enacted in response to Russian belligerence in Ukraine in order to line their own pockets.”

The Washington Free Beacon reported that McGonigal was involved with the FBI’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s links to Russia.

He was “one of the first” FBI officials to hear the story alleging that George Papadopoulos discussed Hillary Clinton’s emails with an Australian diplomat, the report said. Based on this alleged conversation, the FBI opened an investigation.

McGonigal was involved in the FBI’s investigation of Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, the report added.