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posted ago by Tellstruth ago by Tellstruth +48 / -0

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ex-fbi-intel-chief-who-investigated-trump-russia-collusion-gets-4-years-prison-colluding

FRIDAY, DEC 15, 2023 - 06:45 AM A former top FBI official who led the agency's New York counterintelligence division, and played a key role in the Trump-Russia collusion probe, has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for colluding with Russia - and he may face an even longer sentence under a second indictment for hiding $225,000 in payments from a former Albanian intelligence officer.

Charles McGonigal, 55, was arrested in January and slapped with two separate indictments - one in New York and one in Washington, with the New York case related to taking nearly $200,000 in bribes from Russian oligarch Oleg V. Deripaska to investigate a rival oligarch, and the Washington case concerning the Albanian money.

Mr. McGonigal made at least $25,000 as an investigator for the law firm before directly working for Mr. Deripaska. He received an initial payment of $51,000 and then payments of $41,790 each month for three months from August 2021 to November 2021, the indictment said.

Prosecutors said Mr. McGonigal concealed his ties to the Russian oligarch by telling friends he was working for a “rich Russian guy” and stressed that his work was legal. In conversations about Mr. Deripaska, he would try to keep his employer’s identity a secret by referring to him as “the big guy” and “you know whom.” -Washington Times

McGonigal pleaded guilty in August after being hit with four initial corruption charges - including conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions, money laundering, conspiring to commit money laundering and conspiring to violate federal law against doing business with sanctioned individuals. Each count carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison..