Ex-FBI counterintelligence official pleads guilty to conspiracy charge for helping Russian oligarch
By LARRY NEUMEISTER
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A former high-ranking FBI counterintelligence official has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in a New York. He admited that he helped a Russian oligarch seek dirt on a wealthy rival, in violation of U.S. sanctions on Russia. Charles McGonigal entered the plea on Tuesday. The 55-year-old told the judge that he carried out his crime in 2021, accepting over $17,000 to help Russian energy magnate Oleg Deripaska. Prosecutors say McGonigal was in negotiations along with co-conspirators to receive a fee of up to $3 million. Sentencing is set for Dec. 14, when McGonigal could face up to five years in prison.
