FBI Director Kash Patel Faces Criticism for Using $60 Million Government Jet for Girlfriend's Performance

Lawmakers had previously criticized Patel for allegedly utilizing government aircraft for personal travel.

FBI Director Kash Patel has come under scrutiny after allegedly using a government jet valued at $60 million to attend his girlfriend's musical performance at a wrestling event in Nashville, according to flight records and allegations from a former FBI agent.

Kyle Seraphin, a former FBI agent and vocal supporter of the MAGA movement, claimed on his podcast that Patel traveled on an expensive Department of Justice aircraft to watch his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, perform at the Real American Freestyle wrestling event held at Pennsylvania State University over the weekend.

"Dear FBI Employees:I'm sorry the government ISN'T funded, so you won't be getting a paycheck.Luckily, that doesn't stop Real American Freestyle WRESTLING!So I flew the FBI jet to State College PA, hung out with my chick, and then flew to Nashville where she lives." -Ka$h pic.twitter.com/tuOmWwO4Wk

According to The Independent, flight logs reveal that a Justice Department-registered aircraft departed from Manassas Regional Airport in Virginia on October 25, landing approximately 40 minutes later at State College Regional Airport in Pennsylvania.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has registered the aircraft to the FBI's national headquarters in Washington, DC, indicating it was an official government plane. However, no passenger manifest has been released, making it unclear whether Patel was actually aboard.

Records show that roughly two and a half hours after landing, the same aircraft reportedly flew to Nashville, Tennessee, which is where Wilkins resides.

Patel, 45, was seen at the event alongside Wilkins, 26, who shared photographs of them together on social media platforms. The wrestling event, which was co-founded earlier this year by the late Hulk Hogan, featured Wilkins performing a song as part of the program.

FBI policy mandates that the director use official aircraft for security purposes but also requires reimbursement for the cost of any personal travel at commercial rates.

This is not the first time lawmakers have accused Patel of excessively using government aircraft for personal trips. When previously questioned about such usage, Patel defended himself by stating that "Congress made it mandatory" for him to use government planes for all travel.

Earlier this year, former FBI counterintelligence chief Frank Figliuzzi alleged that Kash Patel spends more time in nightclubs than at the bureau's headquarters and no longer receives daily briefings. Reports indicated that Patel was splitting his time between Washington, DC, and Las Vegas, creating what insiders described as "chaos" within the FBI.

Patel has also faced criticism for ordering polygraph tests to identify agents suspected of leaking information, a measure the FBI defended as necessary to maintain internal security.