Ex-FBI official worked for sanctioned Russian oligarch, prosecutors say - Reuters

NEW YORK, Jan 23 (Reuters) - A erstwhile apical FBI authoritative was charged connected Monday with moving for sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, arsenic U.S. prosecutors ramp up efforts to enforce sanctions connected Russian officials and constabulary their alleged enablers.

Charles McGonigal, who led the FBI's counterintelligence part successful New York earlier retiring successful 2018, pleaded not blameworthy to 4 transgression counts including sanctions violations and wealth laundering astatine a proceeding successful Manhattan national court.

He was released connected $500,000 bond, pursuing his apprehension implicit the weekend.

Prosecutors said McGonigal, 54, successful 2021 received concealed payments from Deripaska, who was sanctioned successful 2018, successful speech for investigating a rival oligarch.

McGonigal was besides charged with unsuccessfully pushing successful 2019 to assistance sanctions against Deripaska.

Sanctions "must beryllium enforced arsenic against each U.S. citizens successful bid to beryllium successful," FBI Assistant Director successful Charge Michael Driscoll said successful a statement. "There are nary exceptions for anyone, including a erstwhile FBI official."

Separately connected Monday, national prosecutors successful Washington said McGonigal received $225,000 successful currency from a erstwhile subordinate of Albania's quality service, who had been a root successful an probe into overseas governmental lobbying that McGonigal was supervising.

McGonigal faces 9 counts successful that case, including making mendacious statements to conceal from the FBI the quality of his narration with the person.

"This is evidently a distressing time for Mr McGonigal and his family," the defendant's lawyer Seth DuCharme told reporters aft the Manhattan hearing. "We'll reappraisal the evidence, we'll intimately scrutinize it, and we person a batch of assurance successful Mr McGonigal."

Deripaska, the laminitis of Russian aluminum institution Rusal (RUAL.MM), was among 2 twelve Russian oligarchs and authorities officials blacklisted by Washington successful 2018 successful absorption to Russia's alleged meddling successful the 2016 U.S. election.

He and the Kremlin person denied immoderate predetermination interference.

Also charged successful the Manhattan lawsuit was Sergey Shestakov, a erstwhile Soviet diplomat who aboriginal became an American national and Russian connection interpreter for U.S. courts and authorities agencies.

Prosecutors said Shestakov helium worked with McGonigal to assistance Deripaska, and made mendacious statements to investigators.

Shestakov pleaded not blameworthy connected Monday and was released connected $200,000 bond.

The enforcement of sanctions are portion of U.S. efforts to unit Moscow to halt its warfare successful Ukraine, which the Kremlin calls a "special subject operation."

Deripaska was charged past September with violating the sanctions against him by arranging to person his children calved successful the United States.

The pursuing month, British businessman Graham Bonham-Carter was charged with conspiring to interruption sanctions by trying to determination Deripaska's artwork retired of the United States.

Deripaska is astatine large, and Bonham-Carter is contesting extradition to the United States.

Reporting by Luc Cohen successful New York; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien, Bill Berkrot, Jonathan Oatis and Marguerita Choy

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