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

A former senior federal prosecutor who served in the Biden administration is under a criminal investigation referral, which requests the Justice Department to examine whether she misled federal agents regarding her involvement in an investigation, according to Fox News Digital.Jina Choi joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California in late 2023, shortly after being appointed by Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey to lead the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section, which manages significant corporate and securities cases in the Bay Area, including Silicon Valley.Prior to her role in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Choi represented IRL, a social media startup co-founded by Abraham Shafi. The company, which focused on organizing and connecting people through events, ceased operations in 2023 after a board-directed investigation found that approximately 95% of its users were likely bots, a claim disputed by Shafi. In 2025, Shafi was indicted on federal fraud and obstruction charges.The criminal investigation referral is considered an aggressive challenge to the conduct of a former prosecutor involved in the broader investigation.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 rare.The referral, sent 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 matter due to her previous representation of the company. The Justice Department typically does not have an obligation to respond to such referrals.Prosecutors have stated that Choi was walled off from the federal investigation involving IRL and Shafi. However, Shafi’s lawyer claims that internal communications and an FBI interview report indicate that she remained involved and later understated her involvement to federal agents.The FBI declined to comment when contacted by Fox News Digital.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.The federal investigation into IRL began before Choi’s arrival at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors have asserted that she was screened from the matter due to her prior representation of the company.Shafi’s defense claims to have obtained internal emails and FBI interview memoranda that allegedly contradict Choi’s account to federal agents.While Choi’s communications are referenced in public court filings, the underlying email exhibits were filed under seal, preventing public inspection of the original documents and their full context.Choi worked as outside counsel for IRL before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office. During this period, Shafi’s defense alleged that Choi attempted to persuade federal authorities to target Shafi to protect other stakeholders at the firm. The government denied this characterization, stating that she advocated against targeting the firm itself but disputed claims that she wanted the government to pursue Shafi.Shafi’s defense argues that Choi’s previous representation of IRL created a conflict of interest, while prosecutors maintain that she was walled off from the investigation due to that prior relationship. As of now, no ruling has been made regarding whether Choi operated under a conflict of interest that would warrant dismissal of the case.Shafi’s lawyer contends that documents obtained by the defense tell a different story.The FBI, which was investigating the Shafi case, interviewed Choi in July regarding her role in the IRL investigation. During the interview, Choi reportedly stated that she had "no role in the investigation." However, an internal message allegedly obtained by the defense quotes her as saying she wanted to add her predecessor to the IRL team to expedite the process.Additionally, documents obtained by the defense reportedly show that she inquired about the name of the FBI agent working on the IRL case and sent press coverage of the case against Shafi to other prosecutors.During her FBI interview, Choi allegedly claimed she was unaware of who was assigned to the case team.According to the criminal investigation referral, Choi "admitted keeping a written case tracker on which ‘the SHAFI investigation was listed.’" The defense claims that the U.S. Attorney’s Office refused to provide the case tracker, labeling it as "privileged and internal work product."Shafi was charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, and obstruction a few months after Choi left the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges stem from allegations that he misled investors by misrepresenting user growth on his platform, raising approximately $170 million from investors while using paid advertising to attract users and presenting the growth as organic.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 and her prior representation of IRL undermine the charges against Shafi.Shafi’s defense has a strong incentive to demonstrate that Choi acted improperly, as this could significantly impact the prosecution of their client.Stimson remarked that the defense's allegations are concerning if true, as they could indicate broader conflicts within the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He cautioned against attributing Choi’s alleged conduct to the Biden administration as a whole, noting that individual U.S. Attorneys’ Offices typically operate with significant independence.As of now, Choi has not been charged with any crime or faced disciplinary action related to the Shafi prosecution.Choi did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by Fox News Digital.

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