FBI agent pleads guilty to gambling with government money – Reuters

An FBI logo is pictured on an agent's shirt during the U.S. law enforcements raid on Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska's property in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. October 19, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

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Feb 23 - An FBI agent with the agency's New York office has pleaded guilty to making what his lawyer called a "terrible mistake" by misusing $13,500 of government money to gamble at a casino while in Las Vegas for an investigation in 2017.

Scott Carpenter, 40, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court in Las Vegas to a misdemeanor count of conversion of government money under a plea deal that calls for the FBI agent to receive a sentence of probation.

Paul Fishman, a former U.S. attorney for New Jersey now at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer who represented Carpenter, said prosecutors recommended probation in light of his acceptance of responsibility and "otherwise exemplary service" with the FBI and U.S. Army.

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The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to a year in prison. U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro scheduled his sentencing for May 18.

Prosecutors said that from July 27 to July 31, 2017, Carpenter and three other agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation traveled to Las Vegas to conduct an undercover operation.

After the operation was completed, Carpenter went to a casino's high limit room, where he gambled on blackjack with $13,500 belonging to the government.

"Four years ago, Scott made a terrible mistake," Fishman said in a statement. "He immediately acknowledged his conduct, reported it to his superiors, sought professional help for his alcohol problem, and made arrangements to repay the FBI."

The case is United States v. Carpenter, U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, No. 22-cr-00022.

For the United States: Daniel Schiess of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada

For Carpenter: Paul Fishman and Mindy Gorin of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer

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Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Nate Raymond reports on the federal judiciary and litigation. He can be reached at nate.raymond@thomsonreuters.com.

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FBI agent pleads guilty to gambling with government money - Reuters