Former Federal Prosecutor Under Criminal Investigation for Alleged False Statements to FBI

<p>A former senior federal prosecutor who served in the Biden administration is facing a criminal investigation referral regarding allegations that she misled federal agents about her involvement in an investigation, according to Fox News Digital.</p><p>Jina Choi joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California in late 2023 and was appointed by Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey to lead its Corporate and Securities Fraud Section, which oversees significant corporate and securities cases in the Bay Area, including Silicon Valley.</p><p>Prior to her role in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Choi represented IRL, a social-media startup co-founded by Abraham Shafi. IRL ceased operations in 2023 following a board-directed investigation that found 95% of its users were likely bots, a conclusion disputed by Shafi. In 2025, Shafi was indicted on federal fraud and obstruction charges.</p><p>The criminal investigation referral marks a significant challenge to the actions of a former prosecutor involved in the broader investigation.</p><p>Cully Stimson, acting director of the Heritage Foundation’s Legal Policy Center and a former federal prosecutor, noted that while it is common for defense teams to criticize prosecutors, a criminal investigation referral is uncommon.</p><p>The referral, submitted on Tuesday by a lawyer retained by Shafi, questions whether Choi continued to be involved in the IRL investigation after joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, despite being screened from the case due to her previous representation of the company. The Justice Department typically does not have an obligation to respond to such referrals.</p><p>Prosecutors have stated that Choi was separated from the federal investigation involving IRL and Shafi. However, Shafi’s lawyer claims that internal communications and an FBI interview report indicate she remained involved and later downplayed her involvement to federal agents.</p><p>The FBI declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Fox News Digital.</p><p>In the criminal referral sent to the Justice Department, Shafi’s lawyer requested an investigation into whether Choi made false statements regarding her role in the IRL investigation.</p><p>The federal investigation into IRL began before Choi’s tenure at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors have asserted that she was kept away from the investigation due to her prior relationship with the company.</p><p>Shafi’s defense claims to have obtained internal emails and FBI interview memoranda that contradict Choi’s statements to agents.</p><p>While Choi’s communications are referenced in public court filings, the government has filed the underlying email exhibits under seal, preventing public access to the original documents for context.</p><p>Choi worked for IRL as outside counsel before her appointment to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. During this period, Shafi’s defense alleged that Choi sought to have federal authorities target Shafi to protect other stakeholders at the firm. The government has denied this claim, stating that she advocated against targeting the firm itself.</p><p>The defense argues that Choi’s previous representation of IRL presents a conflict of interest. Prosecutors maintain that she was appropriately separated from the investigation due to this prior relationship. As of now, no ruling has been made indicating that Choi’s actions constituted a conflict of interest warranting dismissal of the case.</p><p>Shafi’s lawyer contends that the documents they have obtained suggest a different narrative.</p><p>The FBI, which was investigating the Shafi case, interviewed Choi in July regarding her role in the IRL investigation. Choi reportedly told agents that she did not have any role in the investigation.</p><p>However, an internal message allegedly obtained by the defense quotes her as stating, "I talked to [her predecessor] and I wanted to see if it would be ok to add [him] to the IRL team to help move it along."</p><p>Additionally, documents purportedly obtained by the defense indicate that she inquired about the name of the FBI agent assigned to the IRL case and shared press coverage of the case against Shafi with other prosecutors.</p><p>During her FBI interview, Choi allegedly claimed she was unaware of who was assigned to the case team.</p><p>According to the criminal investigation referral, Choi acknowledged maintaining a written case tracker that included the 'SHAFI investigation.' The defense claims that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has refused to release the case tracker, citing it as a "privileged and internal work product."</p><p>Shafi was charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, and obstruction a few months after Choi departed from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges are based on allegations that he misled investors about user growth on his platform, raising approximately $170 million from investors while misrepresenting the nature of the user growth.</p><p>He is also accused of misusing investor funds for personal expenses, including clothing, home furnishings, travel, hotels, and wedding-related costs. Shafi’s lawyer argues that Choi’s alleged false statements to federal agents, along with her prior representation of IRL, compromise the integrity of the charges against Shafi.</p><p>Shafi’s defense has a vested interest in demonstrating that Choi acted improperly, as this could significantly impact the prosecution of their client.</p><p>Stimson remarked that the defense's allegations are concerning if substantiated, as they could indicate broader conflicts within the U.S. Attorney’s Office.</p><p>He cautioned against linking Choi’s alleged conduct to the Biden administration as a whole, noting that individual U.S. Attorneys’ Offices typically operate with considerable independence.</p><p>As of now, Choi has not been charged with any crime or faced disciplinary action related to the Shafi prosecution.</p><p>Choi did not respond to a request for comment.</p>