FBI Bribery Probe That Could Have Implicated Susan Collins Was Scrapped After Trump Returned, Report Says

An FBI anti-corruption investigation that could have expanded to examine Republican Senator Susan Collins and other members of Congress ended after Donald Trump returned to the White House, according to a new ProPublica investigation.

By late 2024, FBI agents believed they had gathered enough evidence to seek approval for a broader bribery investigation examining claims by former defence contractor executive Martin Kao, ProPublica reported.

Kao told investigators his company used political donations as part of a strategy to secure millions of dollars in federal funding. The inquiry was still in its early stages and had not established criminal wrongdoing by Collins or other lawmakers.

ProPublica reported that investigators questioned Kao extensively about Collins, whose office has strongly denied any bribery or pay-to-play arrangement.

$500,000 Request at Centre of Allegations

The allegations trace back to a 2019 meeting involving Kao and Scott Reed, who headed a super PAC supporting Collins.

According to Kao's account to federal investigators, Reed asked Navatek executives for a $500,000 contribution after Collins had helped secure federal Navy funding that benefited the Hawaii-based defence contractor's work in Maine.

Kao allegedly responded that Navatek wanted assurances that Collins would help obtain tens of millions more in government funding.

Federal contractors are prohibited from making political contributions in connection with federal elections.

Kao later sent $150,000 to the Collins-supporting super PAC through a shell company, part of a campaign-finance scheme to which he later pleaded guilty.

Two months after that payment, Kao wrote to colleagues that Collins would support $32 million in naval funding, according to an internal email ProPublica reviewed.

Congress ultimately approved at least $10 million in funding that year tied to Navatek proposals, according to records the outlet cited.

Reed denied communicating with Collins or her staff about Kao or Navatek. Collins' office has also denied Kao's allegations.

Kao Cooperated With FBI After Guilty Plea

The FBI had already investigated illegal donations tied to Collins' 2020 re-election effort. Kao and two other executives of the Hawaii-based government contractor were indicted in 2022 over unlawful campaign contributions.

Kao later pleaded guilty to conspiring to make illegal contributions, including using a shell company and reimbursing people for donations made in their names. Federal authorities did not charge Collins or anyone working for her campaign.

While cooperating with investigators, Kao claimed those donations were part of a much broader strategy in which Navatek backed politicians who could help secure government money.

ProPublica said it independently corroborated significant portions of his account, while noting that Kao had an incentive to cooperate with investigators and that bribery cases against elected officials require substantial evidence of a quid pro quo.

Investigation Ended Amid FBI Upheaval

ProPublica reported that agents were preparing to expand the inquiry when Trump returned to office in January 2025.

Personnel involved in public-corruption and Trump-related investigations were subsequently fired, reassigned or resigned.

According to ProPublica, one agent who had interviewed Kao was later pushed out of the bureau, while the career prosecutor assigned to his case also departed.

The investigation stemming from Kao's cooperation subsequently ended, the outlet reported. The FBI disputes the premise that Collins herself was implicated in criminal wrongdoing.

Spokesperson Ben Williamson said the bureau had previously investigated the allegations and 'ultimately found nothing implicating Senator Collins or Senator Collins' campaign.'

He did not address ProPublica's questions about the separate, broader investigation agents reportedly sought to pursue in late 2024.

Collins' deputy chief of staff Annie Clark likewise said the senator 'vigorously' denies the bribery allegations and stressed that her office fully cooperated with investigators.

The report comes as Collins seeks a sixth Senate term in Maine this November, bringing renewed attention to allegations that federal agents considered a broader investigation but never determined where the evidence might lead.