Former National Security Adviser John Bolton reached a plea deal in the criminal case over his handling of classified information, a person familiar with the deal told USA Today. The source said that he has agreed to plead guilty to one count of retaining national security information. If the judge accepts the deal, Bolton will pay a $2.25 million fine and be liable to serve prison time anywhere from zero to five years. In exchange, he’ll be let off the hook on the charge of transmitting national defense information.
The Justice Department declined to comment but referred USA Today to the docket for Bolton’s criminal case, which states that there will be a June 26 “rearraignment.” Bolton’s lawyers did not immediately respond to the paper’s request for comment.
