Trump’s FBI Pick Reportedly Took Money from China & Russia—And Vows to Gut Bureau

Kash Patel’s Controversial Nomination: Foreign Ties and the Future of the FBI

A Nomination Clouded by Foreign Financial Interests

In 2018, Kash Patel played a key role in challenging the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference. Now, he is poised to lead the agency while reportedly holding millions in Chinese stock and having accepted payment from a filmmaker linked to Kremlin-backed projects. His nomination raises a serious question: could America’s top law enforcement officer face conflicts of interest tied to foreign entities?

A February 7 exposé from WIRED and The Washington Post, authored by Louise Matsakis, Greg Miller, Jon Swaine, and others, details Patel’s financial connections to both China and Russia, raising concerns among national security and ethics experts about potential conflicts of interest if he is confirmed.

Financial Ties to China: Millions in Shein’s Parent Company

According to WIRED, Patel’s financial disclosure reveals that he holds between $1 million and $5 million in restricted stock units (RSUs) from Elite Depot Ltd., a Cayman Islands-based company that fully owns Shein, the controversial Chinese e-commerce giant. These shares, granted in exchange for consulting services, began vesting on February 1, with payouts expected quarterly.

While legal experts note that Patel is not required to divest, watchdog groups such as Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) warn that his continued financial stake in Shein could create perceived conflicts of interest, particularly given the FBI’s role in investigating allegations of forced labor, data privacy concerns, and national security threats tied to Chinese firms.

Patel has stated he would recuse himself from cases involving Shein, but without an independent enforcement mechanism, experts question how such recusals would be ensured.

Ties to Russia: $25,000 Payment from Kremlin-Linked Filmmaker

A separate Washington Post investigation revealed that Patel accepted a $25,000 honorarium from Global Tree Pictures, a Los Angeles-based production company run by Russian national Igor Lopatonok.

Lopatonok has produced multiple films promoting pro-Kremlin narratives, some of which received funding from a cultural foundation created by Russian President Vladimir Putin. His work has been criticized for pushing anti-Western messaging and efforts to weaken U.S. support for Ukraine.

The payment to Patel was linked to his participation in a six-part documentary aired on Tucker Carlson’s network, in which he was quoted calling for the closure of the FBI’s headquarters and its conversion into a “museum for the deep state.”

While Patel has not been accused of wrongdoing, national security analysts have raised concerns about the optics of accepting money from a filmmaker tied to Kremlin-funded projects while being considered to lead the FBI—a position with direct oversight of counterintelligence operations against Russian influence efforts.

Trump’s DOJ Weakens Foreign Influence Oversight

These concerns are heightened by sweeping changes already underway in Trump’s Justice Department.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has dismantled the DOJ’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was originally created to track covert lobbying efforts from adversarial nations, including China and Russia. Bondi has also disbanded the DOJ team responsible for enforcing sanctions on Russian oligarchs, raising concerns about a potential shift in U.S. posture toward Russia.

A Senate Battle Over Patel’s Confirmation

The Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, has delayed Patel’s confirmation, citing the need for further testimony on his financial interests and potential conflicts.

While Senate Republicans appear determined to push through his nomination, arguing that he has complied with all ethics and financial disclosure requirements, Patel’s assurances that he will recuse himself from cases where conflicts arise remain voluntary and unenforceable, leaving critics questioning whether such recusals would be meaningfully upheld.

A Troubling Parallel: Weakening Law Enforcement to Shield Foreign Influence

Placing officials with major foreign financial entanglements into top law enforcement roles has raised historical concerns.

In Hungary under Viktor Orbán, intelligence agencies were stacked with loyalists who overlooked foreign influence and corruption to protect political allies. In Russia, the FSB shields Putin’s oligarch allies while leveraging law enforcement against political opponents. Patel’s nomination raises concerns about whether the United States could be moving in a similar direction, where law enforcement is structurally weakened against foreign influence.

Why Patel’s Confirmation Could Change U.S. National Security

The FBI is currently investigating more than 2,000 cases of Chinese corporate espionage in the U.S., including allegations of technology theft, cyber intrusions, and political influence operations.

If Patel is confirmed, will these investigations continue unimpeded, or will internal pressure limit their scope? At the same time, Russia continues its cyberwarfare and election interference campaigns against the United States. If Patel leads the FBI, will counterintelligence efforts against Russian influence be deprioritized?

A Crossroads for U.S. Law Enforcement

In past administrations, even the appearance of such financial conflicts would have been disqualifying for an FBI Director nominee.

Today, however, the Senate faces a critical decision. Will lawmakers uphold the FBI’s independence from financial and political entanglements, or will they confirm a nominee whose financial ties to foreign entities raise profound concerns about the future of U.S. national security enforcement?