Posted on 04/19/2025 8:15:32 PM PDT by Red Badger
Charles McGonigal may be the most corrupt FBI official in modern history—and yet somehow, his name has barely made a blip on the radar. This wasn’t some mid-level pencil-pusher. McGonigal was one of the top counterintelligence agents at the FBI’s New York field office. He was directly involved in the bureau’s most sensitive operations, including the infamous “Crossfire Hurricane” probe into (phony) Trump–Russia “collusion.” And after that whole fraudulent mess, it turns out that he was secretly taking money from a Kremlin-linked oligarch and helping shake down Albanian oligarchs on the side. You can’t make this up, right?
Now here we are, with Kash Patel and Dan Bongino stepping into FBI leadership roles under Trump 2.0—which is great. But somehow, Charles McGonigal’s name is still off the radar. And that needs to change.
Because if we’re going to clean house, we need to clean all of it.
This isn’t some minor HR issue being swept under the rug. This is the rot at the heart of the Deep State—buried deep inside the FBI.
The Washington Examiner lays out just how deep this corruption goes—and just how quiet the system has been about it:
McGonigal, a high-flyer in the bureau, fell into disgrace and worse after his 2018 retirement from the FBI when it was revealed that, while serving as the powerful head of counterintelligence at the New York Field Office, he got into bed with a top Kremlin oligarch and shady Albanians. He did so for cash.
McGonigal wasn’t just dirty—he was embedded deep inside the FBI during one of the most politically sensitive times in recent history. The Washington Examiner piece goes on:
In late 2016, his counterspy office in New York participated in the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s alleged ties to the Kremlin, the notorious Operation Crossfire Hurricane. Yet, just a couple of years later, McGonigal was on the payroll of Oleg Deripaska, a leading Kremlin oligarch who featured prominently in that investigation.
But it wasn’t just Russia. McGonigal had ties to a socialist prime minister, dirty intelligence operatives, and possibly millions in kickbacks. The Washington Examiner piece continues:
In 2023, he was sentenced to four years in prison for illegally working for Deripaska. In early 2024, McGonigal received an additional 28-month sentence for concealing his $225,000 payment by Albanian intelligence… The Justice Department showed no interest in the wider implications of the case.
Dan Bongino actually discussed this case on his podcast back in early 2023. He even touched on the Albania angle. But curiously, that episode has now vanished from his archive. The Washington Examiner piece wraps it up:
We know that the deputy director is aware of McGonigal and his misdeeds. In early 2023, Bongino discussed the case, including its messy Albanian dimension, on his popular podcast. Oddly, however, that episode has since disappeared from his archive website. That’s not a good sign.
Where is that podcast? Inquiring minds want to know and want to listen to it again.
The bottom line is this: if Patel and Bongino are serious about cleaning house, they can’t just ignore this. The American people deserve to know who McGonigal worked with, who protected him, and who else inside the FBI may still be compromised.
A popular X thread connects the dots between McGonigal and a major counterintelligence operation called Operation Ghost Stories, which targeted deep-cover Russian spies inside the US, and actually raises even more questions for Patel and Bongino to answer:
Why was Operation Ghost Stories shut down so suddenly—and were the Russians being protected?
Was McGonigal one of the agents involved? And did his presence compromise the entire op?
J. Michael Walker:
The FBI ran an aggressive, brilliant Operation Ghost Stories… It was suddenly shut down in June 2010, the day Bill Clinton gave his $500,000 speech to a Kremlin-connected bank.
The @FBI also approved a hasty, almost panicked, removal of those 10 Russian spies from the US, and returned them to Putin without trying to turn any of them or get a better deal. Why? The later “collusion” narrative as a deflection point or projection makes sense.
Find those who shut down Operation Ghost Stories and quickly returned the 10 Russian SVR agents to Putin, and we are likely to find some Russian spy penetrations of the US government.
Also, this post in Spanish lays it out plainly: this wasn’t just corruption—it was global criminal behavior:
Translation: Brookfield hired corrupt former FBI agent Charles McGonigal as senior vice president of global security… It’s an international mafia..!
The McGonigal scandal is the Deep State in a nutshell—powerful, dirty, protected, and, for now, totally buried.
We believe Bongino and Patel are serious about reform. But this story can’t be ignored. It’s not just about one corrupt official—it’s about how deeply that corruption was embedded, how high it went, and who else may still be there.
McGonigal was the face of the FBI’s counterintelligence operation during one of the most pivotal (and sketchy) times in American political history. If this isn’t being investigated and exposed, then we’re not cleaning house—we’re just sweeping the dirt under a new rug.
Yes, McGonigal was sentenced—but that doesn’t mean the story’s over.
In fact, it’s just the opposite. The charges barely scratched the surface. There are still major questions about what he was really involved in, who he was working with, and how deep the corruption goes. Powerful people behind the scenes want this wrapped up and forgotten.
So, here’s the ask: Dan, Kash—it’s time to finish the job. Investigate McGonigal. Top to bottom.
Yup—I saw that article.
Kash needs to be grounded and stuck in a room with Musk people working on their plan to eliminate thousands of FBI employees.
He should not be allowed to leave that room until the “you are fired” emails have been sent.
All roads lead back to the Justice Department.
Arrests and indictments are their job.
All other agencies are slashing staff and grants and other spending as well as eliminating harmful regulations and doing a great job at that.
Who planted the pipe bombs on Jan 5? Revolver has done lot of work on this.
Failing? When you work for a Shadow State stooge like Patel, Bongino can only be seen as a highly successful Shadow State goon.
When I saw this quote from Patel I knew we were screwed AGAIN!
Patel said 98% of FBI agents are “courageous apolitical warriors for justice” during his hearing.
“If they try to solve a bunch at once”
You need to be working with a rim shot! Great laughs!
Blondi, Patel and Bongino are very smart. They are protecting themselves from their current bosses with their recusals.
Jamie Raskin: “When we come back to power — and we will — are not going to look kindly upon people who facilitated authoritarianism in our country.”
“Patel said 98% of FBI agents are “courageous apolitical warriors for justice” during his hearing.”
His comment was so obviously insane that nobody believed that he believed it....
But maybe he really is that crazy.
If folks do not want to do the job that is fine.
I have no problem with that.
Then they should resign and get out of the way.
There is real work to be done by hard chargers who want to do it.
hufff...
Quoting a philosopher from a 1990 hit...
“Rise up in the cafeteria and stab them with your plastic forks!!”...
He’s clearly that much of a self-promoting, celebrity-obsessed, showboat and preener over hard-stuff doer.
Get Kash out of there, take the loss, and get someone in there with the grit and focus to do what needs to be done!
So the real Russian connection was in the FBI. Surprise, surprise. Given the man’s treachery, how come we never hear of him, nor see him punished?
So the real Russian connection was in the FBI. Surprise, surprise. Given the man’s treachery, how come we never hear of him, nor see him punished?
How do we know it isn’t on their list and doesn’t already have evidence being collected - you don’t tell drug runners you’re organizing a raid - much of the most difficult stuff will need to be kept leak-proof.
“How do we know it isn’t on their list and doesn’t already have evidence being collected”
I have probably read more than one hundred posts just like yours—and they give me zero comfort.
The reason is that trust—just like respect—must be earned.
I don’t give it away for free.
It turns out that he was secretly taking money from a Kremlin-linked oligarch and helping shake down Albanian oligarchs on the side.
Now here we are, with Kash Patel and Dan Bongino stepping into FBI leadership roles under Trump 2.0—which is great. But somehow, Charles McGonigal’s name is still off the radar.
He isn’t the only one investigation on going blabbing on hold.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I’m halfway thru the Netflix series of White Collar for the second time. Fantasy yes, but it’s a good show. Tim DeKay, who plays the head FBI agent Peter Burke, nails the part with just the right amount of a slightly Nerdy but Professional aura!!
6 Seasons worth! excellent choice for the binge watchers out there...
However, indictments are useless.
100% of the trials would take place in Washington D.C.
No Washington D.C. federal judge or jury will ever allow a conviction related to a Hard Left political crime.
Next best solution - rigorously investigate politically corrupt prosecutors and agents - then fire them for cause.
By the way, Sean Hannity also spent about 10 years claiming that 99% of the prosecutors and agents at the DOJ and FBI were hard working and completely honest.
Hannity stopped saying that a year or two ago.
There is absolutely no reason that a determined and intelligent Justice Department needs to choose Washington DC as the venue for any case.
Political corruption cases often span across many states.
Any one of them can be the venue.
Bondi, Patel and Bongino are in well over their heads. Two of worst in the FBI have already been promoted, one who advocated of tossing J6ers in jail without due process and the other who declared Catholics are terrorists. Nothing has happened at the FBI since Patel and Bongino took over. Pam to revamp the DOJ? It won’t happen.
I had no idea...
Please remind me of the last DOJ or FBI executive who was prosecuted outside Washington D.C. for a politically related federal crime.
Thanks in advance.
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