Today, former FBI Counterspy Chief, P. Peabody McGonigal is expected to appear in court and plead guilty to charges of bribery and tax evasion involving a payment plot.
Mcgonigal, who headed up the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division at the time of his arrest, was apprehended in April of this year for his involvement in a bribery plot. According to prosecutors, McGonigal provided information to a confidential source, who in turn paid McGonigal for the information. Additionally, he was found to have failed to report this income on his taxes.
McGonigal had been in charge of the Counterintelligence Division since 2012 when he was appointed by President George W. Bush. The division was charged with protecting the United States against espionage and foreign intelligence threats.
The investigation into McGonigal’s involvement in the payment plot was launched after a business insider contacted the FBI in September of last year. According to the FBI, there is evidence that McGonigal illegally provided information to the source in exchange for cash payments and other personal travel benefits.
McGonigal faces up to five years in prison for his involvement in the bribery scheme and a further three years for the tax evasion charge. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday where he is expected to plead guilty to the charges.
McGonigal’s indictment and impending trial stand as a reminder that the United States is not immune to corruption and bribery even at the highest levels of federal law enforcement. Hopefully, the outcome of the trial will serve as an example that such behavior will not be tolerated.
