The FBI has reportedly discontinued an inquiry throughout 2025 regarding claims that Sen. Susan Collins’ political adviser was involved in an unlawful campaign finance scheme with a defense contractor.
In 2022, Martin Kao, the former CEO of Navatek, based in Hawaii, informed the FBI that he had spoken with Collins’ fundraiser, Scott Reed, about evading campaign finance regulations to illegally funnel contributions to Collins’ 2020 campaign and a supporting super PAC. ProPublica was the first to report this, noting that Kao alleged Reed solicited a $500,000 donation for the pro-Collins PAC in 2019, which led Kao to create a shell company to divert $150,000 to the PAC.
During the same period, Navatek secured an $8 million contract for research on boat hulls, which Collins’ office celebrated in a press release in August 2019. Collins even visited the company’s offices in Maine to commemorate the agreement and shared a photo on Facebook featuring herself, Kao, and others with a model boat, as reported by ProPublica.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, neither Collins nor her campaign faced accusations of any wrongdoing. The FBI stated that its investigation found insufficient evidence to support Kao’s claims regarding Collins.
The FBI commented, “While we do not discuss investigative practices, the allegations mentioned have been thoroughly investigated by the FBI previously and no evidence implicating Senator Collins was found.” They reiterated that staff members are only removed if they are proven to have acted unethically.
Kao is currently serving a 33-month prison sentence for improperly channeling $200,000 in campaign contributions to Collins’ 2020 campaign and the PAC. Additionally, he has an 87-month sentence for various charges including wire fraud related to acquiring $12 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
In 2024, Kao allegedly provided the FBI with a list of lobbyists, congressional members, and staffers he claimed assisted him in exchanging cash for contracts. Reports suggest that agents had enough information to potentially initiate a significant bribery investigation involving lawmakers from both parties. They questioned Kao extensively about his interactions with Collins and her office.
The investigation into Collins’ campaign, which began during President Biden’s administration, was closed during President Trump’s current term as senior officials deemed Kao’s claims unreliable, according to the New York Times. Some officials familiar with the case indicated that while little corroborating evidence was found, it’s possible that further inquiry could have unearthed more.
ProPublica pointed out that cuts to FBI corruption teams during Trump’s presidency might have contributed to the investigation’s halt. They reported that key teams dealing with public corruption, especially those involved in Trump-related cases, were significantly reduced, with one agent who took Kao’s confession being ousted as a form of retaliation.
Collins, addressing the accusations, called them “absolutely outrageous,” labeling it a political attack. She noted that similar allegations had arisen years prior regarding the same individual. “It’s incredibly frustrating and unfair to have this resurgence so close to the election. This man, Martin Kao, is a convicted criminal—a liar,” Collins asserted, emphasizing the FBI’s previous dismissals of such claims.
Collins’ campaign did not respond to requests for comment, while the White House referred inquiries back to the FBI. Annie Clark, Collins’ deputy chief of staff, stated the allegations were “categorically false,” contending that Kao was simply deflecting responsibility. She elaborated that the campaign had returned illegal contributions made by Kao.
As a side note, Collins is currently engaged in a competitive election race against Democratic nominee Troy Jackson, who stepped in after the former nominee withdrew due to serious allegations.
