Plea deals don't necessarily mean you flipped.* Tons of people take a plea deal if they think they won't win at trial. The prosecutors offer you less time and they notch a win and save the time and money of a trial. 90% of federal defendants cop a plea.

This is what he told the judge today

McGonigal: I agreed to collect open source information about a business competitor of Oleg Deripaska, to try to put him on the US sanctions list. I knew that it was wrong.

https://www.innercitypress.com/sdny3greardenmcgonigalicp081523.html

*I think most folks would consider flipping to go beyond the folks known to be involve in this case. Like I don't consider this "flipping" on Deripaska, everyone knows Deripaska is a bad guy. He's sanctioned by 5 countries. Sergey Shestakov is his co-defendant and it seems the FBI has the goods on him too.

The way I read that article he is plead guilty and will get the normal number of years in exchange for the DOJ dropping other charges, but he is not getting a light sentence because he's giving special information. He will present some info about his career to mitigate in sentence, but it seems like a normal plea.

Judge Rearden: You have agreed not to appeal any sentence below 57 to 60 months, correct? McGonigal: Yes, your Honor. Judge Rearden: The guidelines are actually 57 to 71 months. But the statutory maximum is five years or 60 months...

Judge Rearden: The agreements provides that the Office will not further prosecute Mr. McGonigal for IEEPA acts in 2021, except for tax charges... Has anyone threatened you to sign this plea agreement? McGonigal: No.