https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ex-fbi-intel-chief-who-investigated-trump-russia-collusion-gets-4-years-prison-colluding A former top FBI official who led the agency’s New York counterintelligence division‚ and played a key role in the Trump-Russia collusion probe‚ has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for colluding with Russia – and he may face an even longer sentence under a second indictment for hiding $225‚000 in payments from a former Albanian intelligence officer. Charles McGonigal‚ 55‚ was arrested in January and slapped with two separate indictments – one in New York and one in Washington‚ with the New York case related to taking nearly $200‚000 in bribes from Russian oligarch Oleg V. Deripaska to investigate a rival oligarch‚ and the Washington case concerning the Albanian money. Mr. McGonigal made at least $25‚000 as an investigator for the law firm before directly working for Mr. Deripaska. He received an initial payment of $51‚000 and then payments of $41‚790 each month for three months from August 2021 to November 2021‚ the indictment said.Prosecutors said Mr. McGonigal concealed his ties to the Russian oligarch by telling friends he was working for a “rich Russian guy” and stressed that his work was legal. In conversations about Mr. Deripaska‚ he would try to keep his employer’s identity a secret by referring to him as “the big guy” and “you know whom.” -Washington TimesSurvival Shield X-2 is now 25% OFF! Treat your body with super high-quality nascent iodine &; enjoy one of nature's greatest essentials! McGonigal pleaded guilty in August after being hit with four initial corruption charges – including conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions‚ money laundering‚ conspiring to commit money laundering and conspiring to violate federal law against doing business with sanctioned individuals. Each count carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.. McGonigal was the FBI's recipient of the fake tip from Alexander Downer that supposedly started the Trump/Russia investigation.He was also involved in the fake Carter Page ("Crossfire Dragon") investigation. https://t.co/MDwosXQaqP pic.twitter.com/tGjDL5zFq6— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) January 23‚ 2023 While heading up the NY counterintelligence division‚ McGonigal was responsible for supervising and participating in investigations of Russian oligarchs‚ including Deripaska. The indictment unsealed in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Monday charges the former F.B.I. official‚ Mr. McGonigal‚ with one count of violating U.S. sanctions‚ one count of money laundering and two conspiracy counts. –NY Times On Thursday‚ McGonigal was slapped with a 50-month prison term and a fine of $40‚000‚ handed down by Judge Jennifer H. Rearden of Federal District Court. Rearden said her sentence was designed to balance McGonigal’s more than two decades as a law enforcement officer with the “extremely serious” nature of his crimes – which she said threatened national security. She added that while he may not have intended to undercut sanctions on Deripaska‚ which were critical in America’s efforts to punish Russia‚ “that is precisely what he ended up doing” when he investigated Deripaska’s rival‚ Vladimir Potanin. Mr. McGonigal’s work on the oligarch’s behalf — obscured by use of shell companies and subcontractors — involved seeking information about Mr. Potanin’s business. The ultimate goal‚ prosecutors said‚ was to cause sanctions to be placed on Mr. Potanin‚ potentially leveling the playing field with Mr. Deripaska. But the plot unraveled within months‚ after the F.B.I. seized Mr. McGonigal’s cellphone and that of another associate‚ Sergey Shestakov. –NY Times In September‚ McGonigal also pleaded guilty in the Washington case‚ where he was charged with hiding $225‚000 in payments received from a former Albanian intelligence officer. He is due to be sentenced for that case in February. “It is not an overstatement to say that no one knew better the gravity of McGonigal’s crimes than McGonigal himself‚” wrote the US attorney on the case‚ Damian Williams.

Half-dozen Muslim teens ambush St. Nicholas near Christmas market as bystanders laugh‚ applaud A man in a Santa Claus outfit was attacked by a mob of teens who told him they were Muslims and that Germany was their country as witnesses cheered and laughed‚ according to reports.  The shocking incident unfolded in the city of Hesse on December 6 but details just came to light this week.  A 54-year-old man identified as Rainer B. traveled by tram to a gig playing St. Nicholas at the Christmas market in the city center‚ Bild reports. Dressed in full costume and carrying a wooden rod and bag of treats‚ Rainer was walking along Untere Königsstraße when he was approached by half a dozen foreign youths.  “Five or six teenagers came up to me from across the street and asked me to take off my costume because this was ‘their country‚'” Rainer explained. Alex Jones' latest bestselling book 'The Great Awakening' is NOW AVAILABLE! Secure your limited edition autographed today! “They said they were Muslims‚ then pulled me until my cloak tore. They insulted me as a ‘fatass’ and a ‘son of a bitch.’ One grabbed me by the neck.” During the assault‚ the man defended himself using his rod as a weapon‚ forcing them to flee. No witnesses came to the victim’s aid‚ but many reportedly laughed and some even applauded. Der als „Nikolaus” verkleidete Rainer B. wurde letzte Woche Mittwoch in Kassel von fünf bis sechs 15-jährigen Ersetzungsmigranten attackiert. Die Migranten beschimpften ihn mit beleidigenden Ausdrücken wie „Hurensohn“ und „Fettsack“ und forderten ihn auf‚ sein Nikolauskostüm… pic.twitter.com/s58U2jvOSd— Heimatkurier 📢 (@HeimatKurier) December 13‚ 2023 Rainer‚ who works as an excavator driver and has taken great pride in playing Santa Claus since the 1990s‚ says he went on to fulfill his obligations that evening in a costume that was badly damaged and while suffering from mild injuries. "Hurensohn das ist unser Land"Afroarabische Ersetzungsmigranten griffen in Kassel einen Nikolaus an. Der 54-jährige Baggerfahrer Rainer B. wollte‚ wie jedes Jahr‚ als Nikolaus auftreten. pic.twitter.com/DaULX6qhxy— RemigrationsEule (@LachMalmit) December 13‚ 2023 Authorities say they are investigating whether the attack was ‘politically motivated.’ InfoWars frequently covers violent crimes committed by foreign suspects in Germany. Owen Shroyer returns to his throne Dan Lyman on X | Gab

Viking Age teeth from Varnhem bear witness to surprisingly advanced dentistry in the Norse population there. Read moreSection: NewsHistory &; ArchaeologyHistoryAncient TraditionsRead Later 

CNN host Poppy Harlow says President Joe Biden should stop telling people that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. Her comments came Friday during a wide-ranging‚ on-the-air discussion of the economy. "Don't say the fundamentals of the economy are strong‚" Harlow...

Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin would prefer that the U.S. elect a president in 2024 who is "more constructive" toward Russia and "understands the importance of the dialogue."  

In a rare public appearance‚ former first lady Melania Trump stressed the importance of "guarding our freedom" and the responsibilities that accompany American citizenship as she spoke Friday at a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives.

The United States experienced a dramatic 12% increase in homelessness as soaring rents and a decline in coronavirus pandemic assistance combined to put housing out of reach for more Americans‚ federal officials said Friday.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema‚ I-Ariz.‚ is pushing for passage of border security provisions that stalled in Congress‚ telling NBC that negotiations are important to ensure "that we're fighting [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and protecting and supporting our greatest ally in the Middle East‚ Israel."

The New York Times has added a correction to its article about Hunter Biden's statements at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday when he defied a congressional subpoena for a closed-door deposition‚ insisting that an open hearing to be held instead. "An earlier version of this article...

Cornflake Christmas Wreaths are a retro childhood favorite. Just a handful of ingredients needed to make them. Don’t you remember making these Cornflake Christmas Wreaths as a child? I still sometimes make them and every time I make these cookies‚ I’m reminded how much I like to eat a bowl of Cornflakes for breakfast. And lunch. And dinner. Isn’t cereal for dinner the best? Cornflake Christmas Wreaths take the cake when it comes to festive treats for the holiday cookie tray. With Christmas only 2 days away‚ you’ve probably about come to the end of your Christmas cookie making. I meant to share this recipe much earlier in the month‚ but I didn’t expect December to go by with such lightening speed. These Christmas treats are so easy to make with just 3 ingredients plus enough green food coloring to give them that perfect evergreen color. Variations I used mini red M&;Ms to decorate them with but Red Hots are probably the more traditional candy to use. Use Special K cereal in place of Cornflakes. Add a half a teaspoon of almond extract. Get All Ingredients Ready You will need to work quickly with this recipe so you can get the cookies shaped before the mixture sets up. Have all ingredients ‚measured and get a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper before beginning the recipe. Recipe Tips The Cornflake mixture is a little difficult to shape into wreath shapes. I did them free hand but I think it might be easier to use a round cookie or biscuit cutter‚ spray it well with cooking spray‚ and dump some cornflake mixture in the middle. Then you can use the end of a wooden spoon to put a hole in the middle. If you don’t want to mess with shaping them into small wreaths‚ drop them in mounds instead and place 3 Red Hots in the center. If they don’t set up firmly enough‚ stick them in the refrigerator to firm. How To Store Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 to 7 days or frozen for up to 3 months.   Try These Other Christmas Sweets: White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Christmas Crack Cream Cheese Mints Martha Washington Candy Peppermint Oreo Truffles Cherry Bourbon Balls Buckeye Balls Peanut Butter and Chocolate Fudge Print Cornflake Wreath Cornflake Christmas Wreaths are made from only 3 ingredients plus green food coloring. Always a favorite on the Christmas cookie plate. Course DessertCuisine AmericanKeyword Christmas‚ no-bake Prep Time 10 minutes minutesCook Time 0 minutes minutes Servings 12 -15 Calories 183kcal Author Christin Mahrlig EquipmentParchment PaperCookie Sheet Ingredients1/2 cup (1 stick) butter1 (10-ounce) package marshmallows1 1/4 teaspoons green food coloring4 1/2 cups Cornflake cerealred hots or mini red M&;Ms InstructionsMelt butter in a large pot. Add marshmallows and stir until melted.Stir in food coloring.Stir in cereal.Working quickly‚ use a greased 1/4 cup measuring cup to dump the cornflake mixture in mounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your fingers (grease them well) to form the mounds into wreath shapes.Decorate with red M&;Ms before they set.Let cool completely and store in an airtight container. NotesNutritional info is provided as an estimate only and will vary based on brands of products used. NutritionCalories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 434IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 3mgWant to Save This Recipe?Save This Recipe Originally posted December 23‚ 2015. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. The post Cornflake Christmas Wreaths appeared first on Spicy Southern Kitchen.