Former Biden Administration Prosecutor Under Criminal Investigation

First on Fox: A former senior federal prosecutor from the Biden administration faces a criminal investigation referral. The Justice Department has been urged to examine whether she misled federal agents about her involvement in an inquiry. Fox News Digital learned these developments regarding Jina Choi, who joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California in late 2023.

Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey initially selected Choi to lead the office’s Corporate and Securities Fraud Section. This section handles significant corporate and securities cases across the Bay Area, including Silicon Valley. Before her role as a prosecutor, Choi represented IRL, a social-media startup co-founded by Abraham Shafi. IRL aimed to organize and connect people through events. In 2023, the company shut down after a board-directed investigation uncovered that 95% of its users were likely bots, a claim disputed by Shafi, who was indicted in 2025 on federal fraud and obstruction charges.

The referral represents an aggressive challenge to the conduct of a former prosecutor involved in this matter. Cully Stimson, acting director of the Heritage Foundation’s Legal Policy Center and a former federal prosecutor, shared with Fox News Digital that while defense teams frequently attack prosecutors, using criminal investigation referrals is rare.

Prosecutors said Choi was walled off from the federal investigation involving IRL and Shafi, but Shafi’s lawyer now alleges Choi remained involved and understated her involvement to federal agents.

Shafi’s lawyer submitted the referral, questioning Choi’s involvement in the IRL investigation after joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Justice Department generally isn’t required to respond to such referrals.

The federal investigation into IRL started before Choi joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors claimed Choi was screened due to her prior representation of the company. Shafi’s defense acquired internal emails and FBI interview memoranda that they believe contradict Choi’s statements to agents.

Documents allegedly show Choi communicating about adding staff to the IRL team to help progress, inquiring about the FBI agent assigned to the case, and sharing press coverage of the Shafi case with other prosecutors. Shafi’s lawyer argues these actions and statements conflict with Choi’s account during her FBI interview.

Despite public filings describing Choi’s communications, the government sealed the underlying email exhibits, limiting public access to them. Shafi’s defense argues Choi’s prior role at IRL created a conflict of interest, but no ruling has declared Choi acted under a conflict warranting case dismissal.

Choi’s defense claims obtained documents tell a different story. According to them, Choi maintained records listing the Shafi investigation and engaged with case details. Prosecutors charged Shafi with wire fraud, securities fraud, and obstruction, alleging he misled investors about user growth.

The defense insists Choi’s alleged false statements and prior role taint the charges against Shafi. Allegations of misconduct extend beyond Choi, potentially affecting the entire office if proven and rendering it conflicted.

Furthermore, a federal judge was asked to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the Anti-Weaponization Fund, an argument stemming from broader concerns about misconduct and resource allocation within the Justice Department.

Choi has not been charged or disciplined in connection with the Shafi case. Fox News Digital reports she did not respond to requests for comment.