The FBI has seized the electronic data of a retired four-star general who authorities say made false statements and withheld incriminating documents about his role in an illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of Qatar.
Court records outline a potential criminal case against retired Marine Gen. John R. Allen for violating foreign lobbying laws. Allen led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped in late 2017 to lead the influential Brookings Institution think tank.
Allen denies working as a Qatari agent. A spokesperson said he "voluntarily cooperated" with the investigation.
“There is substantial evidence that these FARA violations were willful,” FBI agent Babak Adib wrote in a search warrant application, referring to the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
