Homan recorded in bribe

Tom Homan, the current White House border czar, was allegedly recorded by the FBI in 2024 accepting a cash payment of $50,000 in an undercover sting. Federal agents, posing as business executives, purportedly met with him and suggested they wanted his help securing government contracts related to immigration and border enforcement in a possible second Trump administration—hoping Homan would deliver the contracts in return for the money. 

The case reportedly originated around mid‑2024 in western Texas, partly initiated by another investigation in which someone claimed Homan had solicited payments from companies hoping for contract awards. As that separate probe drew in his name, authorities arranged meetings between the undercover agents, their intermediaries, and Homan. During the September 2024 meeting, hidden cameras captured him taking the cash and indicating he could assist if Trump came back into office.

However, when Trump’s second term began in January 2025, the investigation into the allegations against Homan was eventually closed by the Justice Department under the Trump administration’s appointees. Officials in leadership—including the FBI Director and Deputy Attorney General—stated there was no credible evidence that Homan committed any criminal wrongdoing. They emphasized that resources needed to be focused on what they see as genuine threats, not investigations that they believed were unsubstantiated. 

Among the complications in bringing charges was that at the time the alleged cash transaction occurred, Homan wasn’t holding any official government position. This raised legal questions under bribery laws—whether there was a clear agreement or action that could be prosecuted, especially with respect to promises that might be fulfilled later. Prosecutors had reportedly been considering possible charges such as conspiracy, bribery, and fraud, but held off, planning instead to observe whether Homan would follow through on his alleged promises once he was in a formal position. 

The White House defended Homan, saying he had not been involved in awarding contracts, and calling the investigation politically motivated and baseless. Critics, including some lawmakers, have raised concerns that closing the investigation may reflect political interference with law enforcement or corruption oversight.

Source: USA TODAY