FBI Collins Probe Halted
FBI bribery probe involving Senator Susan Collins halted following Justice Department leadership changes.
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Key Points
1
After being indicted in 2022 for illegal campaign contributions, Martin Kao cooperated with investigators for three days at the U.S. attorney’s office in Honolulu and submitted a 50-page document naming dozens of lobbyists, congressional staffers and lawmakers he claimed helped exchange campaign money for federal contracts.
2
Kao and Navatek associates had donated nearly $900,000 to dozens of politicians, indicating that the alleged activity extended well beyond the Collins-related transaction.
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Kao told federal agents that Navatek’s federally funded research was of little or no practical value, an allegation that raised questions about the substance of the contracts the company pursued.
4
The 2019 meeting took place while Collins faced a difficult reelection campaign: Trump’s low approval ratings were hurting her standing, and she was trailing her likely Democratic challenger in fundraising, according to the account.
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Investigators viewed Collins as Navatek’s most important political patron, with the senator’s office reportedly helping steer millions of dollars in government contracts toward the company.
An FBI investigation into alleged bribery involving Sen. Susan Collins and defense contractor Navatek was abandoned in 2025 after ProPublica revealed that federal prosecutors had been building a case around $150,000 in illegal campaign contributions. USA Today reports that Martin Kao, Navatek's executive, pleaded guilty to the donations and cooperated with investigators by naming dozens of lawmakers and lobbyists he claimed participated in a pay-to-play scheme. No charges were ever filed against Collins or her staff, and her office has denied any wrongdoing.
The investigation stalled after ProPublica investigation showed it ended when the Trump administration took office and changed Justice Department leadership. Kao's cooperation had uncovered a broader network: Navatek associates donated nearly $900,000 to politicians across both parties, suggesting the alleged corruption scheme extended far beyond Collins.
The $150,000 Meeting in 2019
In 2019, a fundraiser for Collins' super PAC allegedly met with Navatek executives and requested $500,000. At the time, Collins faced a tough reelection campaign. Trump's low approval ratings hurt her standing, and she was trailing her Democratic challenger in fundraising. Shortly after the meeting, Bangor Daily News reports that Kao sent $150,000 through a shell company to the super PAC.
Kao then told colleagues that Collins had committed to securing $32 million in additional naval funding for the company. North Jersey reports that investigators viewed Collins as Navatek's most important political patron, with her office reportedly steering millions in government contracts toward the defense contractor.
A Guilty Plea Sparks Wider Allegations
After being indicted in 2022 for illegal campaign contributions, Kao cooperated with federal agents. Over three days at the U.S. attorney's office in Honolulu, he submitted a 50-page document naming dozens of lobbyists, congressional staffers, and lawmakers. NJTODAY News reports he claimed these individuals helped exchange campaign money for federal contracts across both parties.
Kao alleged that Navatek's federally funded research had little or no practical value. This raised serious questions about whether the company was receiving taxpayer money for contracts it could not deliver. ProPublica documented that Kao and associates had donated nearly $900,000 to dozens of politicians, indicating the scheme went well beyond the Collins situation.
Trump's Return Ends the Probe
The FBI's expansion of the investigation did not survive the 2024 presidential election. ProPublica reports that prosecutors abandoned their broader inquiry after current President Donald Trump returned to the White House and Justice Department leadership changed. No investigation was completed into whether Navatek's donations to other lawmakers followed the same pay-to-play pattern.
Collins' office has consistently denied any bribery arrangement. USA Today confirmed that federal investigators never established criminal wrongdoing by Collins or her staff, and no charges were filed against either. The investigation's end left the full scope of the alleged scheme unexplored.
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