In late 2024, federal investigators gathered enough material to reopen a sweeping bribery probe that could reach the highest levels of Congress, including Maine’s senior Republican, Sen. Susan Collins. The probe centers on a series of covert interactions with Martin Kao, the former chief executive of defense contractor Navatek, who told the FBI that a $150,000 contribution—routed through a shell corporation—was meant to secure the senator’s favor.
According to Kao, the chain of events began in 2019 when the head of a pro-Collins super PAC met with him and other Navatek executives. The PAC leader allegedly asked for a $500,000 donation, despite federal rules that forbid government contractors from donating directly to political campaigns. To conceal the source, Kao transferred an initial $150,000 via a shell company, later confirming the move with a lawyer. An email the FBI recovered shows the PAC chief replying, “Very smart” after learning of the arrangement.
The alleged pay-to-play mechanism
The alleged scheme fits the definition of pay-to-play a donor gives money in exchange for official actions. Kao later testified that Collins pledged to help Navatek win roughly $32 million in naval contracts. Over time, Navatek and its affiliates contributed close to $900,000 to dozens of federal and state politicians, enabling the company to expand operations in six states and secure more than $40 million in annual government funding. Kao identified Collins as the firm’s most influential patron.
In 2022 a grand jury indicted Kao for violating campaign-finance laws. Facing a possible prison term, he cooperated with the FBI, providing a detailed account of the donation trail. Despite his cooperation, the investigation stalled after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Trump-appointed officials dismantled the FBI’s Public Integrity Section and ordered the cessation of new corruption cases, effectively killing the probe into Collins.
Maine voters react to the resurfaced allegations
Across the state, the story has produced a mixture of cynicism and entrenched partisanship. Tom McShane, a Windham resident, said he will likely split his ballot despite the controversy, supporting a Republican candidate for the House but opting for Democrat Troy Jackson in the Senate race. Others, like Republican Jim Volkernick of New Gloucester, expressed skepticism toward all politicians, noting Collins’ occasional divergence from party lines as a reason to consider leaving his race blank.
Independent voter Denny Conley summed up a broader sentiment: “I think all politicians are corrupt.” The accusations have fueled a torrent of dark-money advertising, with pro-Collins ads highlighting Jackson’s son’s lobbying past and Jackson-aligned spots accusing Collins of being in the pocket of special interests. Yet many Mainers, regardless of party, claim the revelations have not altered their voting intentions, pointing to the lack of formal charges and the long-standing nature of such accusations.
Oversight groups probe the FBI’s handling of the case
American Oversight has launched a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain communications from FBI Director Kash Patel and senior bureau officials concerning the abandoned investigation. The watchdog seeks emails and texts that reference Navatek, Kao, Collins, and the two agents—Michelle Ball and Kevin Gounaud—who worked the case before being dismissed in 2025 and early 2026 respectively. The FOIA request covers the period when Patel allegedly “purged” the anti-corruption unit and when Ball was terminated after a brief note accusing her of “weaponizing” the Department of Justice.
While an FBI spokesperson reiterated that earlier reviews found “nothing implicating Senator Collins or her campaign,” the agency declined to comment on the renewed inquiry sparked by Kao’s 2022 statements. Collins’ deputy chief of staff continues to deny any wrongdoing, asserting that the office “vigorously” refutes the pay-for-play claims and “fully cooperated” with investigators. Navatek founder Steven Loui similarly labeled Kao’s tactics “unethical and illegal” but stressed the company’s compliance with law-enforcement directives.
