A newly released report from the Department of Justice’s Inspector General (OIG) reveals that Charles McGonigal, a former high-ranking FBI counterintelligence official, compromised a federal investigation into CEFC China Energy—a firm with financial ties to members of the Biden family.
According to the report, McGonigal allegedly tipped off an Albanian associate (“Person B”) in June 2017 that the FBI was preparing to make arrests connected to CEFC. That warning was reportedly passed along to Patrick Ho, a top CEFC executive, and to CEFC Chairman Ye Jianming. Chairman Ye subsequently warned a third individual targeted in the probe, according to reporting by the New York Post.
Despite the leak, Patrick Ho was arrested upon arriving in the United States, where he faced charges of international bribery and money laundering. His visit, according to the report, was encouraged by James Biden—the brother of then-former Vice President Joe Biden.
James and Hunter Biden’s Involvement
The Inspector General’s report and supporting documents from the House Oversight Committee shed further light on the Biden family’s connections to CEFC:
- Hunter Biden referred to Patrick Ho as “my client” and, in private communications, reportedly called him the “f—ing spy chief of China.”
- James and Hunter Biden allegedly received $4.8 million from CEFC China Energy between 2017 and 2018.
- In one message, Hunter Biden noted that any potential business arrangements with CEFC could be “interesting for me and my family.”
Additionally, the report states that in 2017, James Biden contacted a former Secret Service agent to inquire whether Ho was under an active arrest warrant. Although the agent found no such warrant, James Biden later described the call as “informational” and denied any intent to interfere with law enforcement.
OIG Findings on McGonigal
The OIG concluded that McGonigal’s actions significantly undermined the integrity of the CEFC investigation and “dishonored the FBI’s core values.” His conduct, the report says, violated federal law enforcement standards and reflected a serious breach of leadership and ethics expected from senior FBI officials.
Implications and Ongoing Investigations
McGonigal, already facing separate criminal charges in unrelated cases, has become a focal point in renewed calls for broader accountability within the intelligence community. Critics argue that his alleged interference may have shielded key figures from deeper scrutiny at a time when federal investigators were closing in on a high-profile Chinese energy firm with direct ties to the Biden family.
As House Republicans continue their investigation into foreign influence and financial transactions involving Hunter and James Biden, the findings in the OIG report are expected to fuel additional hearings and possibly new subpoenas.
The Department of Justice has not announced whether further action will be taken based on the findings.
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