Former FBI official charged with violating sanctions on Russian oligarch; U.S. prosecutors ramp up efforts to enforce sanctions.
On Monday, January 23rd, former FBI official Charles McGonigal was charged with four criminal counts, including sanctions violations and money laundering. McGonigal had been accused of working for sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. He was released on $500,000 bond following his arrest over the weekend. The charges allege that McGonigal received concealed payments from Deripaska in exchange for investigating a rival oligarch, and that he unsuccessfully tried to lift sanctions against Deripaska in 2019.
Separately, McGonigal was also charged in Washington with nine counts including making false statements to the FBI. He was accused of accepting $225,000 in cash from a former member of Albania’s intelligence service, who had been a source in an investigation McGonigal was supervising. McGonigal’s lawyer Seth DuCharme stated “This is obviously a distressing day for Mr McGonigal and his family. We’ll review the evidence, we’ll closely scrutinize it, and we have a lot of confidence in Mr McGonigal.”
The enforcement of sanctions is part of U.S. efforts to pressure Moscow to stop its war in Ukraine, which the Kremlin calls a “special military operation.” Deripaska was charged last September with violating the sanctions against him by arranging to have his children born in the United States. The following month, British businessman Graham Bonham-Carter was charged with conspiring to violate sanctions by trying to move Deripaska’s artwork out of the United States.
The charges against McGonigal and the other individuals involved demonstrate the U.S. government’s commitment to enforcing sanctions. FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael Driscoll said in a statement that “there are no exceptions for anyone, including a former FBI official.” The U.S. is taking a strong stance against anyone who is found to be aiding in the violation of sanctions, regardless of their position or status.
Charles McGonigal, a former top FBI official, was charged on Monday with working for sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. McGonigal pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts, including sanctions violations and money laundering. He was released on $500,000 bond and is facing nine counts in a separate case in Washington. Additionally, Deripaska, British businessman Graham Bonham-Carter, and a former member of Albania’s intelligence service have been charged in relation to the case.
The U.S. government is taking a strong stance against anyone who is found to be aiding in the violation of sanctions, regardless of their position or status. FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael Driscoll stated that “there are no exceptions for anyone, including a former FBI official.” McGonigal’s lawyer Seth DuCharme expressed his confidence in McGonigal and stated that they are closely reviewing the evidence.
The charges against McGonigal and the other individuals involved are part of U.S. efforts to pressure Moscow to stop its war in Ukraine. Washington is committed to enforcing sanctions and sending a message to anyone who is aiding in the violation of sanctions that they will face consequences. All of the individuals involved are contesting their charges and the case is ongoing.
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