Overview

• MSNBC reported that undercover FBI agents recorded Tom Homan accepting $50,000 in cash on Sept. 20, 2024 in Texas after he indicated he could help secure future government contracts.
• The inquiry began in western Texas in summer 2024 after a tip that Homan was soliciting payments, and prosecutors later weighed bribery, conspiracy and fraud counts based on the recording and internal summaries.
• Officials noted standard bribery charges were complicated because Homan was not a public official at the time, and investigators had planned to monitor whether he acted on alleged promises once in office.
• After President Trump returned to the White House and named Homan border czar, the case stalled and was closed in recent weeks following FBI Director Kash Patel’s request for a status update, with Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stating reviews found no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
• The White House called the probe politically motivated and said Homan has not been involved in contract award decisions, while Democratic lawmakers and ethics critics demanded the investigative file and further oversight.