Trump's FBI shut down bribery probe into defense contractor's political donations
A CEO confessed to a sprawling pay-to-play scheme involving dozens of lawmakers; the investigation was killed after Trump returned to office.
What to know
- Navatek CEO Martin Kao confessed to FBI agents in late 2024 about a sprawling pay-to-play scheme involving nearly $900,000 in political donations to dozens of lawmakers in exchange for over $40 million in annual government contracts.
- The investigation was shut down after Trump returned to office as part of what ProPublica characterizes as his purge of the FBI, preventing further scrutiny of the scheme and the politicians allegedly involved.
- Kao's confessions detailed involvement by Sen. Susan Collins, whose super PAC fundraiser solicited a $500,000 donation through a shell company in exchange for federal contract guarantees, though no one from her office was charged.
“Government contractors are banned from making political contributions. More consequentially, for the company to offer donations to Collins in exchange for an official action, or for Collins to accept, would constitute criminal bribery.”
ProPublica reporters, Investigative journalists · ProPublica / Defense One ↗
Martin Kao Navatek CEO
Susan Collins U.S. Senator (R-Maine)Scott Reed Head of Collins super PAC
Donald Trump U.S. President
How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts
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ProPublica reveals investigation was shut down after Trump returned to office
ProPublica reported that after Donald Trump returned to office, the FBI investigation into Kao's confessions was killed as part of Trump's purge of the FBI, preventing further investigation into the pay-to-play operation and the lawmakers involved.
“After Donald Trump returned to office, the investigation died, a casualty of his purge of the FBI.”
— Scott Horton -
first by Defense One, 1d ago
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defense contractor, told agents his company won millions in federal contracts by bankrolling campaigns of powerful politicians. Shutdown: After Donald Trump returned to office, the investigation died, a casualty of his purge of the FBI. Its closure shut a potential window into how Washington works.
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Shutdown: After Donald Trump returned to office, the investigation died, a casualty of his purge of the FBI. Its closure shut a potential window into how Washington works.
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background
Kao confesses sprawling pay-to-play operation to FBI — Over three days at the U.S. attorney's office in Honolulu, Kao detailed how his operation worked across multiple states. He provided a 50-page document naming dozens of lobbyists, congressional staffers and members of Congress allegedly involved in trading cash for contracts. Navatek had donated nearly $900,000 to dozens of politicians, establishing operations in half a dozen states with over $40 million a year in government funding. Kao told agents the company's military research under his stewardship never resulted in products the military wanted to buy.
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FBI indicts Kao for illegal campaign contributions — A grand jury indicted Kao for making illegal campaign contributions. No one working for Collins was charged.
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Navatek transfers initial donation and secures Navy contracts — Martin Kao sent an initial $150,000 to the Collins super PAC using a shell company. Two months later, he told Navatek executives that Collins had committed to getting the company $32 million in naval contracts, according to an internal company email.
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Navatek CEO proposes donation-for-contracts deal at Coffee shop meeting — Scott Reed, head of Sen. Susan Collins' super PAC, met with Navatek executives at a Corner Bakery in Washington, D.C. The CEO proposed a $500,000 donation in exchange for Collins guaranteeing tens of millions of dollars in additional federal funding. The company planned to funnel the donation through a shell company.