Former federal prosecutor faces referral over alleged false statements in IRL case

A former senior federal prosecutor who worked in the Biden administration has been referred for a possible criminal investigation over allegations that she misled federal agents about her role in a fraud case involving socialmedia startup IRL. The referral centers on Jina Choi, who joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California in 2023 after previously serving as outside counsel for IRL. According to the reporting, Choi was supposed to be screened from the investigation because of that prior relationship. The company later shut down after a board investigation found most of its users were likely bots, a conclusion its founder disputed. The allegations were raised by Abraham Shafi’s defense team, which claims internal emails and FBI interview records show Choi remained involved in the matter after joining the office and later downplayed that involvement to investigators. Prosecutors have said she was walled off from the case, and Choi has not been charged or disciplined as of publication. Shafi was later indicted on charges including wire fraud, securities fraud and obstruction, with prosecutors alleging he misrepresented user growth while raising about $170 million from investors. The Justice Department has not indicated whether it will act on the referral.