A FORMER TOP FEDERAL BUREAU OF INTELLIGENCE (FBI) OFFICIAL; MR CHARLES MCGONIGAL, IS FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO HELP A RUSSIAN OLIGARCH, MR SERGEY SHESTAKOV, GET OFF A UNITED STATES’ SANCTIONS LIST.

MR MCGONIGAL WAS ARRESTED AFTER RETURNING TO JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN NEW YORK, FROM INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, AND HAD ENTERED A PLEA OF NOT GUILTY, YESTERDAY, AT A FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN MANHATTAN.

THE FORMER FBI AGENT WHO IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RANKING AGENT TO EVER BE CHARGED WITH A CRIME, WAS ARRESTED ALONGSIDE THE EX-RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT FOR CONSPIRACY CHARGES, AND IS ALSO FACING MONEY LAUNDERING AS HE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE COLLECTED 225,000 DOLLARS IN CASH FROM A FOREIGN AGENT WHILE STILL IN THE BEREAU.

ACCORDING TO FEDERAL PROSECUTORS, THE 54-YEAR-OLD MR MCGONIGAL - WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF FBI COUNTERINTELLIGENCE IN NEW YORK BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT IN 2018 - AND FORMER RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT, VIOLATED US SANCTIONS BY AGREEING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE AND INDUSTRIALIST, MR OLEG DERIPASKA.