Former FBI agent Charles McGonigal is preparing to change his plea to guilty in a case charging him with illegal work for Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. The indictment includes charges of money laundering and violating US sanctions by attempting to get Deripaska off the US sanctions list. McGonigal was previously indicted in January and pleaded not guilty to a series of charges, including conspiracy to violate and evade US sanctions and money laundering. He was released on a $500,000 bond.

The case against McGonigal reveals that instead of reporting his foreign contacts, as required by law, he allegedly concealed these ties and pursued conflicting business interests abroad. His connection to the investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia is significant. He was one of the first FBI officials to learn of claims that Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos had information about the Russians possessing details on Hillary Clinton. This information led to the launch of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane operation.

The investigation further evolved into the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller to probe the case. McGonigal played a role in this process, as shown by messages he sent to FBI colleagues discussing interviews with Trump campaign advisor Carter Page. Page had been wiretapped by the FBI based on a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) application, which relied on the disputed Steele dossier, claiming that Page was recruited by the Russian government.

Furthermore, McGonigal’s name appeared first on a list of FBI officials receiving a memo in 2015 about attempts by a foreign government to influence Trump through lobbying and campaign contributions.