Fact check
“FBI documents seen by ProPublica show that agents were able to corroborate some of Kao’s claims.”
Reasoning
The provided evidence consists of three excerpts from a ProPublica article titled “ProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe.” Each excerpt includes the sentence: “While Kao had credibility issues — as a convicted felon — FBI documents seen by ProPublica show that agents were able to corroborate some of his claims.” This directly supports the claim without contradiction.
On confidence: Multiple excerpts from the same ProPublica article directly state that FBI documents reviewed by ProPublica indicate agents corroborated some of Kao's statements.
Important context
The corroboration is reported by ProPublica based on FBI documents obtained through a grand jury subpoena to Navatek. The article notes Kao’s credibility issues but emphasizes that agents found supporting evidence for some of his statements.
Evidence
Supporting (3)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
still examining Kao’s relationship with Collins, her staffers and employees of the super PAC, ProPublica found. Annie Clark, deputy chief of staff to Collins : “The FBI and the Court obviously did not believe Kao.” The judge in Kao’s…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
relationship with Collins, her staffers and employees of the super PAC, ProPublica found. Annie Clark, deputy chief of staff to Collins : “The FBI and the Court obviously did not believe Kao.” The judge in Kao’s sentencing ultimately…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
previous investigation, hundreds of thousands of documents were provided to the FBI,” agents wrote in a December 2024 document. “Several emails and other documents corroborate Kao’s statements made to the FBI.” In addition, people familiar…
Limitations
All evidence comes from a single source (ProPublica). No independent FBI releases or court documents are provided to independently confirm the corroboration beyond ProPublica’s reporting.
- Last verified:
- Sep 27, 2026, 4:49 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Susan Collins Dismissed Our Reporting as Old News. Some of Her Claims Aren’t True.ProPublica · William Turton