Brookings Institute Director Resigns Amid FBI Illegal Lobbying Investigation

Retired Four-Star General John Allen Resigns from Brookings Institution on the 12th
"Leaving with a heavy heart... This is the best decision"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] John Allen, director of the Brookings Institution, a prominent U.S. think tank, resigned while under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for illegal overseas lobbying, Bloomberg News reported on the 12th (local time).

According to the report, the U.S. federal prosecutors in Washington launched an investigation after detecting allegations that Allen conducted illegal lobbying on behalf of Qatar in 2017, when Sunni Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and pursued a policy of diplomatic isolation. Allen is accused of conducting secret lobbying activities, including arranging contacts between senior Qatari officials and U.S. government officials without formally registering as a lobbyist.

In a letter sent to the think tank, Allen stated that he was "leaving with a heavy heart," but did not provide a direct explanation regarding the investigation. He only said, "This is the best choice for everyone involved at this time."

Allen, a retired four-star general who was appointed NATO commander in Afghanistan during the Barack Obama administration in 2012 and led U.S. and allied forces, had served as the director of the Brookings Institution since November 2017, the first military officer to hold the position.

Clues to Allen’s criminal allegations, collected through extensive investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI, began to surface in court-issued search warrants and subpoenas. The search warrants revealed that in 2017, Allen participated in secret lobbying efforts for Qatar alongside Richard Olson, former U.S. ambassador to the UAE, and Imad Jubeir, a Pakistani-American businessman.

As Saudi Arabia and others exerted pressure on Qatar through the Trump administration, Qatar devised a secret lobbying plan to counteract this, in which Allen was deeply involved. Notably, chat records from online messenger WhatsApp indicated that Allen sought financial compensation. Allen was known to have ties with senior Qatari leaders while commanding the U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East.

Under U.S. federal law, lobbyists representing foreign governments must register with the Department of Justice, but Allen has no record of such registration. Court records also include details of Allen’s travel to Qatar funded by Jubeir, who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for tax evasion, lobbying, and political funding violations, and an agreement to receive $20,000 as a speaking fee.

Allen had a contract with an Israeli security firm to receive $10,000 monthly and a 1.5% commission on new business. At that time, a Qatari company signed a $72 million contract with the security firm, reportedly allowing Allen to earn over $1 million (approximately 1.28 billion KRW) in commissions. Allen is also suspected of obstructing the investigation by concealing evidence.

Federal prosecutors requested submission of materials and responses regarding the secret lobbying plan, but Allen did not provide any documents related to his connections with Jubeir, former Ambassador Olson, or financial transactions surrounding the lobbying activities. The FBI also stated it possesses evidence that Allen intentionally violated federal law and made false statements.

Meanwhile, recent tax records indicate that the Brookings Institution paid Allen over $1 million annually.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.