The sentencing, handed down by Judge Jennifer Rearden, falls just below the statutory maximum of five years.
Charles McGonigal has been sentenced to just over four years in prison for his involvement with sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska
In August, Charles McGonigal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate US sanctions and money laundering, admitting to working for Deripaska, a wealthy Russian with close ties to President Vladimir Putin. The judge emphasized the gravity of Charles McGonigal’s actions, noting that he “repeatedly flouted and manipulated the sanctions regimes vital” to US national security.
Before the sentencing, Charles McGonigal expressed deep remorse, acknowledging the felony he committed and the impact on his mental, emotional, and physical well-being. He tearfully pleaded for a second chance, highlighting his regret for embarrassing himself and the FBI, an organization he loves and respects.
Prosecutors argued for a five-year prison term, asserting that Charles McGonigal’s actions jeopardized US national security. They emphasized the choice foreign governments would face between military supplies and having the former FBI counterintelligence chief on their payroll.
Seth DuCharme, Charles McGonigal’s attorney, requested a no-prison sentence, citing his client’s decades of public service
DuCharme explained that Deripaska had tasked McGonigal with digging up information on a rival oligarch, characterizing it as a “terrible decision” influenced by risk and reward.
In a separate case, Charles McGonigal pleaded guilty in Washington, DC, in September to concealing funds received from a former Albanian intelligence employee and undisclosed foreign contacts. The sentencing for this case is scheduled for February.
DuCharme urged the judge to consider McGonigal’s recent seven-hour meeting with seven government agencies as evidence of his cooperation. Additionally, he requested that McGonigal serve his sentence in the New York area. The sentencing reflects the complex balance between acknowledging McGonigal’s contributions to the US and holding him accountable for betraying national security interests.