A former FBI agent, Charles McGonigal, received a four-year prison sentence after admitting to clandestine work for Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska. The actions were aimed at helping Deripaska bypass U.S. sanctions targeting Russia, according to reports gathered by Reuters.
Evidence presented in August 2023 showed McGonigal, who had resigned from the FBI, carried out assignments for Deripaska from spring to fall in 2021. During that period, he conducted a private probe into a rival Russian magnate, Vladimir Potanin, with Deripaska allegedly pressing for Potanin to be targeted on sanctions lists through McGonigal’s efforts.
Judge Jennifer Rearden of the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York stated that McGonigal was fully aware that his conduct violated sanctions. The sentencing process reflected a balance between the seriousness of the violations and the services McGonigal had provided to Deripaska behind the scenes.
Prior to this case, both a former FBI official and a former Soviet diplomat had been detained in the United States in connection with their ties to Deripaska, highlighting the complexity of the network involved and the scrutiny surrounding sanctions enforcement.
Separately, the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice filed a request to recover Deripaska’s assets at the state’s expense, signaling ongoing international efforts to address the financial implications of sanctions violations and the broader dispute tied to Deripaska’s business interests.