Top FBI official who investigated ties between Trump and Russia has been charged with illegally helping a Russian oligarch

The former head of counterintelligence for the FBI's New York office, Charles McGonigal, was indicted yesterday on money laundering charges and violating U.S. sanctions against Russia. McGonigal is accused of illegally trying to remove Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska from the U.S. sanctions list in 2019.

McGonigal was also charged with taking money from Deripaska to investigate another oligarch. McGonigal "was also one of the key figures who helped trigger special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into allegations that Trump's campaign team colluded with Russia to help the former president win the 2016 election," said Newsweek.

That's not all. From The Washington Post: "A second indictment, filed in Washington, accused McGonigal of hiding payments totaling $225,000 that he allegedly received from a New Jersey man employed decades ago by an Albanian intelligence agency. The indictment also accused him of acting to advance that person's interests.

McGonigal pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Seth DuCharme, said "As you all know, Charlie's had a long distinguished career with the FBI. He served the United States for decades. This is obviously a distressing day for Mr. McGonigal and his family."