FBI Director Kash Patel is under renewed scrutiny following claims that he used a $60 million FBI jet for personal travel to attend his girlfriend’s performance at a wrestling event, sparking criticism over government ethics and taxpayer accountability.
The allegations surfaced after former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin said on his podcast that Patel flew aboard a Department of Justice (DOJ) aircraft to see his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, perform at the Real American Freestyle wrestling event at Pennsylvania State University. Seraphin described the flight as “an unnecessary use of taxpayer-funded resources.”
According to flight records obtained by The Independent, a DOJ-registered aircraft departed Manassas Regional Airport in Virginia on October 25 and landed roughly 40 minutes later at State College Regional Airport in Pennsylvania. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data lists the plane’s owner as the FBI’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C., confirming it was an official government jet.
Roughly two and a half hours later, the same aircraft reportedly flew to Nashville, Tennessee, where Wilkins resides. While the passenger manifest has not been made public, the flight’s timing has fueled speculation that Patel was on board.
Photos shared on social media show Patel, 45, attending the wrestling event with Wilkins, 26, who performed a song during the program. The event was co-founded earlier this year by the late Hulk Hogan and featured several entertainment segments, including Wilkins’ live performance.
The FBI maintains that the director is required to travel on official aircraft for security reasons, even for non-official purposes. However, policy dictates that the director must reimburse the government at commercial rates for any personal travel.
Patel previously defended his use of government aircraft, saying, “Congress made it mandatory for me to use government planes for all travel.”
Critics argue that this latest revelation raises questions about public trust, government oversight, and responsible use of taxpayer money.
Earlier this year, former FBI counterintelligence chief Frank Figliuzzi accused Patel of spending “more time in nightclubs than at the bureau’s headquarters,” alleging that he no longer received daily briefings. Reports also claimed Patel divided his time between Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas, causing what insiders described as “chaos” within the agency.
Patel has also faced internal controversy for ordering polygraph tests to identify potential leakers within the bureau — a move he defended as necessary to “protect internal security.”
Despite growing calls for transparency, the FBI has not confirmed or denied Patel’s presence on the flight. The Justice Department has yet to comment on whether the travel was officially sanctioned or personally reimbursed.
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