Federal investigators captured Donald Trump’s top immigration adviser accepting $50,000 in cash during an FBI sting, but the Justice Department shut down the case soon after the President returned to the White House.
FBI Sting Caught Homan Accepting $50,000 In Cash
According to multiple sources and internal Justice Department documents reviewed by MSNBC on Sunday, undercover FBI agents posing as business executives met with White House border czar Tom Homan in Texas in September 2024.
Hidden cameras recorded Homan taking $50,000 in cash after suggesting he could help secure government contracts if Trump reclaimed the presidency.
Despite what investigators saw as strong evidence of conspiracy to commit bribery, federal prosecutors held off filing charges until they could determine whether Homan, a former acting ICE director, would follow through once in public office.
Homan did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Trump DOJ Shuts Down Bribery Probe Into Border Czar
That moment came in November 2024, when Trump named him White House border czar, a senior adviser role not requiring Senate confirmation. But in early 2025, Trump’s newly appointed Justice Department leaders ended the case.
“This matter originated under the previous administration and was subjected to a full review,” FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a joint statement to MSNBC.
“They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing. The Department’s resources must remain focused on real threats to the American people, not baseless investigations.”
White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson echoed that defense, blasting the probe as a “blatantly political investigation” and calling Homan “a career law enforcement officer and lifelong public servant who is doing a phenomenal job on behalf of President Trump and the country.”
See Also: Border Czar Tom Homan Says ‘No Intention’ To Arrest Gavin Newsom Despite Trump’s Remarks: ‘They Haven’t Crossed A Line Yet’
Democrats Blast Trump Border Czar Homan Over $50,000 Bribery Allegations
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) criticized on X Sunday, the Trump administration for shutting down the bribery investigation into Homan, calling for Congress to obtain the undercover tapes.
She called for scrutiny of all Homan’s decisions for potential corruption and condemned the administration’s actions as “staggering” and harmful to hardworking families.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) condemned White House Border Czar Homan for allegedly accepting a $50,000 cash bribe to influence federal contracts, saying top officials — including Pam Bondi, Patel and Emil Bove — knowingly let the investigation be dropped.
He called the act “brazen graft” and questioned Homan’s legitimacy in a leadership role. Schiff urged Republicans of “good conscience” to demand Homan’s resignation and called for the FBI’s video and audio evidence of the cash exchange to be released to the public.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also criticized Homan, questioning his legality and implying wrongdoing with the comment: “Who’s the illegal now @RealTomHoman.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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