
FBI Special Agent supervisor hired prostitutes on assignments, watchdog claims
The Office of the Inspector General released an investigative summary Tuesday, which stated that the FBI came to the watchdog, claiming a then-special agent who supervised other agents hired and used prostitutes while traveling both domestically and overseas for work.
The agency also claimed that the agent, who was unnamed in the summary, used an 'FBI-issued mobile device' to complete transactions related to the hiring of prostitutes, according to the summary.
The agent was accused of failing to self-report 'close or continuous contact' with a foreign national they were dating while overseas, the watchdog said.
The watchdog's investigation confirmed the FBI's allegations, which included finding the agent hired and used prostitutes on 'numerous occasions.' It additionally found the agent failed to self-report 'close or continuous contact' with the foreign prostitutes he hired.
Despite the watchdog's findings, 'criminal prosecution was declined,' according to the summary.
The Independent has reached out to the FBI for comment.
This is not the first instance of an FBI agent paying for sex while overseas.
In March, a separate investigation by the watchdog accusing FBI agents of using prostitutes while stationed in Cambodia, the Philippines and Thailand was made public following a lawsuit filed by The New York Times.
The investigation found from 2009 to 2018, those agents were paying for or accepting sex from prostitutes while socializing with other agents and the local police.
In a statement to the NYT in March, the FBI said, 'Everyone who engaged in this inexcusable behavior was held accountable and no longer works for the FBI.'
The agency said at the time it had changed its selection and training processes for agents working overseas. It's unclear when the incidents detailed in Tuesday's investigative summary occurred.
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The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Trump's ‘Alligator Alcatraz' tour was a calculated celebration of the dystopian
Donald Trump's tour of the bloodcurdlingly-monikered – and hastily-constructed – 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrants detention center in Florida's Everglades had the hallmarks of a calculatedly provocative celebration of the dystopian. Accompanied by Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, the Florida governor Ron DeSantis and a phalanx of journalists, the US president saw only virtue in the vista of mesh fencing, barbed wire and forbidding steel bunk beds. 'Between Kristi and Ron, it's really government working together,' he said. 'They have done an amazing job. I'm proud of them.' Not that Trump was blind to the intimidating nature of the facility his long crusade against undocumented people had willed into existence in this hot, steamy part of southern Florida, prized by environmentalists as a crucial nature preserve but now redesigned to be a location of dread to those lacking documentary proof of their right to be in the US. 'Biden wanted me in here,' he said, snidely referring to his predecessor in the White House, who he accuses – without evidence – of orchestrating criminal prosecutions against him. 'It didn't work out that way, but he wanted me in here, the son of a bitch.' Tuesday's visit seemed to represent a new landmark in the administration's embrace of unabashedly authoritarian solutions to meet what has been Trump's defining issue since even before his first term: migration. Recent weeks have seen several escalations as the White House and law enforcement agencies have sought to project an ever more draconian approach. Deaths have been recorded of several detainees who had been taken into custody by Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (Ice) officials. Footage of masked officers without insignia arresting people in the streets has sent shockwaves through immigrant communities nationwide. National guards troops and marines have been deployed against demonstrators protesting migrant roundups on the streets of Los Angeles, even as local authorities and California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, insisted they were not needed. In what has seemed like performative acts of political intimidation, several Democrats have been arrested and handcuffed by Ice and FBI agents near detention facilities or immigration courts. Senator Alex Padilla of California was pinned to the ground and handcuffed after trying to ask a question of Noem at a press conference, even after identifying himself. The administration's schtick was clear when Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador and self-proclaimed 'world's coolest dictator', was feted in the White House in April days after more than 200 Venezuelan alleged gang members were summarily deported from the US to the sprawling Cecot facility in El Salvador. 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Trump seemed to revel in the potential for detainees' misery at what was termed a round-table discussion but which devolved into fawning praise of his leadership from administration and state officials and obsequious questions from journalists representing friendly rightwing news outlets. 'It might be as good as the real Alcatraz site,' he said. 'That's a spooky one too, isn't it? That's a tough site.' As if in confirmation that this was an event designed to showcase ruthlessness, Trump handed the floor to Stephen Miller, the powerful White House deputy chief of staff and widely-acknowledged mastermind of the anti-immigrant offensive, calling him 'our superstar'. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Miller responded with a pithy summation of the policy's raison d'être. 'What you've done over the last five months [is] to deliver on a 50-year hope and dream of the American people to secure the border,' he said. 'There's a 2,000 mile border with one of the poorest countries in the world, and you have open travel from 150 countries into Central America and South America. 'There are 2 billion people in the world that would economically benefit from illegally coming to the United States. Through the deployment of the military, through … novel legal and diplomatic tools, through the building of physical infrastructure, through the empowering of Ice and border patrol and the entire federal law enforcement apparatus, President Trump achieved absolute border security.' And there would be more to come – courtesy of funds secured for deportations in Trump's sweeping spending bill, which secured narrow Senate passage during Trump's visit to the facility. 'Once this legislation is passed, he will be able to make that, with those resources, permanent,' Miller said. PBS reported that the bill envisions roughly $150bn being spent on the administration's deportation agenda over the next four years. Taking the soft cop line, Noem on Tuesday told undocumented people that it didn't have to be this way; they could still, to use the administration's terminology, take the 'self-deport' option by returning voluntarily to their home countries – where she said the governments were waiting with open arms. 'Anybody who sees these news clips should know you could still go home on your own, you can self-deport,' she said, adding that they could apply to return to the United States 'the right way'. A more telling attitude to accountability was displayed by Trump himself at the end of the media question and answer session when a Fox News reporter asked how long detainees could expect to spend at the Florida facility – days, weeks or months. After clarifying the question, Trump seemed – or perhaps decided – to misunderstand it. 'This is my home state,' he said. 'I love it … I'll spend a lot of time here. I'll be here as much as I can. Very nice question.'


Sky News
36 minutes ago
- Sky News
Diddy trial live: Diddy jury deliberating final charge after reaching partial verdict
Latest from court Diddy trial jurors reach verdict on four counts These are the sex-trafficking charges and transportation for prostitution charges No verdict yet on the racketeering charge Jurors to continue deliberating today Updates by culture and entertainment reporter Gemma Peplow Full story What is racketeering conspiracy? Count 1 on the prosecution's indictment against Sean "Diddy" Combs is the most complicated of the five charges - racketeering conspiracy, which covers a number of alleged crimes. This is the one jurors are split on. Racketeering broadly means engaging in a criminal scheme or enterprise, and the charge falls under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act (RICO) in the US. According to the US justice department's definition of RICO statute, it is also illegal to "conspire to violate" the laws, and this is what Combs is accused of, over 20 years from 2004 until his arrest last year. Racketeering conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime, Judge Arun Subramanian has said. This doesn't have to be a formal agreement, but can be a mutual understanding, spoken or unspoken. "You may, of course, find that the existence of an agreement to achieve the unlawful object has been established by direct proof," jurors have been told. "However, since conspiracy is, by its very nature, characterised by secrecy, you may also infer its existence from the circumstances of this case and the conduct of the parties involved." The eight acts Combs is accused of that fall under the racketeering charge are: Kidnapping Arson Bribery Witness tampering Forced labour Sex trafficking Transportation to engage in prostitution Possession with intent to distribute drugs Racketeering conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial: Day three of jury deliberations - with partial verdict reached Good afternoon on what could be a huge day in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs. Yesterday, not long before the end of the court day in Manhattan, New York, there was a flurry of activity as jurors sent a note confirming they had reached a verdict on four of the charges against the hip-hop mogul. These are two counts of sex-trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. However, they said there were jurors with "unpersuadable" views on the most complicated charge - racketeering conspiracy. The court did not hear the verdicts reached so far yesterday. Instead, Judge Arun Subramanian encouraged jurors to continue deliberating on the racketeering conspiracy charge - which they will start to do today at 2pm UK time. We will bring you all the updates from court as soon as we have them. Goodnight - and see you back here tomorrow After an eventful day, that's it from our live coverage for today. We'll be back tomorrow as jurors continue to deliberate the charge of racketeering conspiracy against Sean "Diddy" Combs. They have reached verdicts on the other four counts - two of sex-trafficking and two of transportation for prostitution - but Combs will have to wait to find out what they have decided. Deliberations will resume at 2pm UK time. You can read our report on today's events here - and we'll see you again tomorrow. Sean 'Diddy' Combs will have to wait to hear his fate Just over seven weeks since they first sat down to hear the evidence in the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial, jurors have now reached verdicts on four out of the five counts against him. They have been deliberating for about 13 hours. There were tense scenes as the news was delivered to both the prosecution and defence towards the end of the court day today - but the hip-hop mogul will have to wait to hear his fate. Jurors have been asked to deliberate further on the charge of racketeering, and will continue to do so tomorrow. Judge asks jurors to keep an open mind as they continue tomorrow The judge calls jurors back in again very briefly to thank them for all their hard work so far. He tells them they won't need to come into the courtroom first thing tomorrow, but once all 12 jurors have arrived they can return to their deliberations on the racketeering charge. Reminding them once again to keep an open mind, he wishes them all "a great evening" and says he will see them tomorrow. Jurors to continue deliberating tomorrow Judge Arun Subramanian has welcomed the jury back into the courtroom in Manhattan, New York. He acknowledges they have reached verdicts on four of the five counts, and asks that they keep deliberating on Count 1 - racketeering conspiracy. The judge reminds them of the instructions they were given yesterday, that they should not hesitate to change their opinion if convinced and follow his instructions on the law. Jurors are dismissed from the courtroom, but quickly send a note back. They have completed their deliberations for the day and will return tomorrow at 9am (2pm UK time). Diddy gestures to family as judge and laywers discuss options As he awaits news, Sean "Diddy" Combs gestures to his family in the courtroom - putting his hands in prayer and giving them a thumbs up. Jurors first went out to consider the charges yesterday and have been deliberating for about 12 to 13 hours in total. In case you missed it earlier, they have reached a verdict on the sex-trafficking and transportation for prostitution charges, but say they have so far been unable to come to a unanimous verdict on the charge of racketeering conspiracy. What could happen next? After a flurry of activity in court, it seems there may be a wait now to see what happens next. Judge Arun Subramanian has said there are a few options. First of all, he could tell the jury to keep deliberating. The second option is a modified "Allen charge", also known as a "dynamite charge", to encourage the panel to reach a unanimous decision on Count 1 - racketeering conspiracy. The third option would be for the court to advise the jury to return a partial verdict, but as they have been deliberating for less than two days the judge says he doesn't think they are at the stage for this yet. Diddy's family arrive in the courtroom Several of Sean "Diddy" Combs's children have arrived back in the courtroom and taken their seats next to their grandmother, the rapper's mother, Janice Combs. She has been in court to support him throughout the trial. Combs is now standing up chatting with one of his lawyers, Xavier Donaldson, while Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, who are also on his team, are in their seats. Prosecution and defence want jury to continue deliberating Both prosecutors and the defence have said they would like the jury to keep deliberating on Count 1, which is the racketeering conspiracy charge. Judge Arun Subramanian has asked both teams to send their proposed instructions for jurors.


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Diddy's six words to his mother as he left court on eve of verdict: Live updates
Sean ' Diddy ' Combs is due back in court today to learn his fate after a tense day of jury deliberations which ended on a cliffhanger yesterday. The 55-year-old rapper faces life in prison if convicted of the top charge - which the jury is yet to reach a verdict on - and 50 years if convicted of the four that the jury has decided on. The sticking point for the jury is whether or not to find him guilty of racketeering conspiracy. That charge alleges that Diddy created and enforced a criminal network to entrap and abuse women. The jury was ordered back into deliberations yesterday after telling the judge they were 'unpersuadable' in their opposing views. They were quick to decide on the other four charges - two counts each of transportation for prostitution and sex trafficking. Those charges apply to his treatment of two ex-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura, and another woman, who has been referred to throughout as 'Jane'. The rapper mouthed six words to his beloved and devoted mother, Janice, as he left the court yesterday. 'I'll be all right, love you,' he said, as he was led away from a gaggle of nervous lawyers. 12:09 How much prison time is Diddy facing? Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy - up to life in prison. Count 2: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) - minimum of 15 years to a maximum of life in prison. Count 3: Transportation to engage in prostitution – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and commercial sex workers - up to 10 years in prison. Count 4: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 2 ('Jane') - minimum of 15 years to a maximum of life in prison. Count 5: Transportation to engage in prostitution – pertains to Victim 2 ('Jane') and commercial sex workers - up to 10 years in prison. What are the Diddy charges? Rapper's allegations explained The disgraced rap mogul, 55, has been charged with two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and one count of racketeering. 12:09 Lawyers want jurors to continue deliberating The prosecution and defense have both asked judge Arun Subramanian to tell the jury to continue deliberating after they said they can't agree on count 1- racketeering conspiracy. The judge said there are three paths to take. The first is to tell the jury to keep going. The second is an Allen charge - a supplemental intruction from the court encouraging them to re-evaluate their positions and strive for a unanimous verdict. The judge the third one will come 'at some point,' - when 'the court should advise the jury of the ability to return a partial verdict.' The judge said 'but we are not there yet.'