Former top FBI official accused of taking cash from Putin ally to investigate rival

Charles McGonigal, 54, conspired to commit money laundering offences by receiving Oleg Deripaska money, prosecutors allege

A former top FBI counter-intelligence official conspired to commit money laundering offences and violated US sanctions by taking secret payments from the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska to investigate a rival, federal prosecutors said in an indictment on Monday.

Charles McGonigal, 54, was also arrested on charges relating to his alleged acceptance of a $225,000 cash payment from a former foreign security officer, when he was special agent in charge for counter-intelligence at the FBI’s New York office.