Newly released files show investigators had recorded evidence of Clinton discussing foundation funds with a convicted felon, yet leadership shut down the inquiry before her 2016 interview.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON—In the spring of 2016, as Hillary Clinton closed in on the Democratic presidential nomination, FBI agents in New York were preparing to confront her with explosive questions about the Clinton Foundation’s foreign donations—including a recorded conversation with a convicted felon who had funneled illegal contributions to her 2008 campaign. But when Clinton finally sat for her interview that July, the questions never came.
Newly released FBI documents, published by the Senate Judiciary Committee, reveal that agents in the bureau’s “Cracked Foundation” investigation (p. 41) had drafted a series of pointed questions for Clinton about her interactions with Sant Singh Chatwal, an Indian hotel magnate and longtime Clinton donor who had pleaded guilty in 2014 to laundering straw donations to her presidential campaign. In a recorded conversation, Clinton and Chatwal discussed Clinton Foundation donations—and agents wanted to know whether those funds had been used to settle her lingering 2008 campaign debt or for personal use (p. 22).
Grassley to Doj FBI – Clinton Foundation by yourNEWS Media
Yet when Clinton arrived at FBI headquarters in July 2016 for her interview—ostensibly about her use of a private email server—none of those questions were asked. The omission has raised new concerns about whether political considerations influenced the bureau’s handling of the case.
A Convicted Felon’s Role in Clinton’s Orbit
Chatwal, whose $750 million hotel empire (Forbes, 2006) made him a fixture in Democratic fundraising circles, had been a key Clinton ally for years. He served as a Clinton Foundation trustee, chaired her 2008 exploratory committee, and even attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding. But in 2014, he pleaded guilty to conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions through straw donors, admitting in court that he had once told an FBI informant, “That’s the only way to buy them, get into the system” (DOJ, 2014).
The FBI’s interest in Chatwal extended beyond campaign finance. Agents wanted to question Clinton about his role in lobbying for a controversial 2008 U.S.-India nuclear deal, which weakened non-proliferation standards in exchange for American nuclear technology exports to India. After the deal’s passage, Chatwal received one of India’s highest civilian honors for his efforts—a fact he later boasted about to Indian media, claiming he had spent “millions of dollars” and “four years” persuading Clinton to support it (Clinton Cash, Peter Schweizer).
One draft question for Clinton read:
“To your knowledge, did Mr. Chatwal also provide large cash payments to Indian officials in an effort to secure a nuclear deal between India and the U.S.?” (p. 22)
Foundation’s Foreign Donations: A Broken Pledge?
The FBI’s concerns weren’t limited to Chatwal. Agents also had evidence that the Clinton Foundation continued accepting foreign donations while Clinton was Secretary of State—despite her 2008 agreement with the Obama administration to restrict such contributions. One draft question noted:
“You had an agreement with the Obama administration which planned restrictions on receiving donations to the Clinton Foundation from foreign countries, yet the Foundation continued to accept contributions without disclosures from countries where you lobbied for actions. On how many occasions did the Foundation disregard the official agreement?” (p. 22)
Another avenue of inquiry involved the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI), a parallel nonprofit created after Clinton’s 2008 pledge. Agents suspected it was used to funnel foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation without disclosure:
“The majority of funds raised by CGSGI are eventually sent to the Clinton Foundation but no financial disclosures are made by CGSGI. What are the funding sources for CGSGI, and how many foreign governments send donations?” (p. 22)
FBI HQ’s Role: A Pattern of Obstruction?
The documents suggest that FBI leadership in Washington repeatedly stymied the New York field office’s attempts to investigate the Clinton Foundation. In a 2019 email (p. 39), an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York wrote:
“We were trying to explore the Foundation, and we were told ‘NO’ by FBI HQ. Field agents were frustrated. But HQ would not let it go forward.”
The FBI’s decision to drop the line of questioning before Clinton’s 2016 interview has fueled speculation that political considerations played a role. The Clinton Foundation did not respond to requests for comment. Chatwal, who died in 2021, could not be reached.
A Lingering Question: What Was Left Unsaid?
The newly released files leave unanswered whether Clinton’s 2016 interview—focused solely on her private email server—was deliberately narrowed to avoid probing the Clinton Foundation’s foreign entanglements. With the 2024 election looming, the documents offer a reminder of the unresolved controversies that continue to shadow one of America’s most polarizing political figures.
Watch: FBI’s Clinton Investigation Explained (YouTube)
- Sources:
- Senate Judiciary Committee Documents (PDF)
- DOJ: Chatwal’s Guilty Plea (2014)
- Clinton Cash (Peter Schweizer, 2015)
- Forbes: Chatwal’s Wealth (2006)
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