Package organized in tabs including electronic media reviewed, people identified for interview, personnel link chart, IIR dissemination and recall flow charts, IPPG sections, FBI Albany IIR #1 and #2 flow charts, pertinent electronic communications, log of direct communication between DAD Floris and DAD Ugoretz, the recalled IIR, and IIR recall statistics from 2019-June 2025 (p.1).
p.1FBI Albany Briefing Handout / Tasking Package (Strategic Review of the Recalled IIR)
FBI Inspection Division "Intelligence Reporting Strategic Review" briefing handout / tasking packageOct 8, 202035 pagesTasking_3_AlbanyBriefingHandout_297E_HQ_A4095996_NotSerialized-JET-R RELEASE MARKED.pdf
Approved for public release by Counsel to the President Warrington 10 July 2026
Key Insights
AI-generated from the sourced claims — verify against the documents.
The IIR at issue (FBI Albany IIR 4 212 7305 20) alleged fraudulent driver's licenses and mail-in votes linked to China, was disseminated on 25 September 2020, and was recalled the same evening because it was based on a single-source report from a source opened just 11 days earlier, with information obtained through a sub-source claiming contact with unidentified PRC officials.
22 sourced claims
Review scope metrics: 21,456 FBINET emails, 24,289 Skype messages, 10,351 UNET emails, 692 text messages, 1,432 SCINET emails reviewed; totals 58,220 items and 103 accounts reviewed (OCR of counts approximate) (p.2).
p.2Named personnel/offices: FITF (China CD), Criminal Investigative Division A/DAD Brian Cohen, Albany Field Office SAC Thomas Relford, Cyber Division DAD Tonya Ugoretz, CD DAD Nikki Floris, DI SC Kellie Hardiman, FITF SC Bradley Benavides, and various SIAs/CROs/ASCs (identities partly redacted) (p.4, p.11-12).
p.4The IIR was recalled the same evening (25 Sep 2020); Sentinel record: "This report was recalled in order to re-interview the source"; ASC message: "the IIR has been recalled. Crisis averted!" (p.10, p.12).
p.10SC Benavides stated "the NY and Albany FOs have pushed two IIRs in the past two days, neither of which should have gone out in my opinion," and asked FITF to craft language directing FOs to coordinate with FITF/HQ on election-related intelligence prior to dissemination (p.11).
p.11The IIR at issue is FBI Albany IIR 4 212 7305 20 (the fraudulent-drivers-licenses/mail-in-votes report), disseminated ~7:23 a.m. on 25 September 2020 (p.11).
p.11Timeline of 25 Sep 2020: FITF-China received the IIR at 10:19 a.m.; by afternoon CD DAD Floris and Cyber DAD Ugoretz were engaged; Floris emailed CID asking whether they were tracking the IIR ("Given the topic, this is obviously going to get quite a bit of attention"); Ugoretz replied "Thanks. This is fun."; DI SC Hardiman noted "another election related IIR went out... that is creating a stir" and that Floris wanted DI to work with FITF to push out guidance (p.11).
p.11ASC stated it was "first contact with a source... It never should have gone out and we recommend an admin recall"; Floris noted she had raised with DI that "ALL election related IIRs having to come through HQ for review" (p.11).
p.11Skype log (Floris-Ugoretz, 25 Sep 2020): Floris to Ugoretz "another fucking IIR went out re election security" and "4212 7305 20"; Ugoretz "oh crap" / "how's the sourcing on the new IIR?"; Ugoretz "Thanks. This is fun."; Floris "i don't even know what to say anymore," "im out of energy and brain power at this poitn" (p.13).
p.13The recall itself was issued as a "SUBSTANTIVE RECALL" of IIR 4 212 7305 20, original DTG 2009251123Z, reason: recalled to re-interview the source; recipients directed to destroy all copies of the original (p.14-15).
p.14Requirement lines cited: CHN2019A.II.B.7.3; CHN2019A.II.A.3.1; CHN2019A.I.A.3.2; RUS-ANARCHIST EXT-CD-SR-0978-20.1.C.4 and .1.C.2; Functional Code IFC2637; Topic FINT (p.15).
p.15IIR source details: originating office Albany, squad AL-3 CI; country PRC and USA; source motivated by "a sense of indebtedness towards the United States after being granted asylum," and disapproval of PRC governance; source obtained the information from an identified sub-source in China claiming contact with unidentified PRC government officials; FBI opened the source 14 August 2020 and acquired the information 24 August 2020 (date of information masked for source protection) (p.15-17).
p.15Internal debate (29 Sep - 2 Oct 2020): FBIHQ figures wrote the reporting should be backed up "with a minimum of the following information and treat it like it will be going in front of the President," citing "the conflict of this information to that of the wider USIC, the fact that it contradicts Director Wray's testimony to Congress, and the importance to the current administration"; and expressed skepticism "based on the portions regarding COVID that veer into conspiracy theories," including asking whether the subsource was "the same one who said that the Chinese Government had underground bases in Republican states to disperse Coronavirus" (p.19-22, p.26).
p.19An Albany author objected (1 Oct 2020) that citing "the reporting would contradict Director Wray's testimony" implied a political reason for not disseminating, which "goes directly against our organizations mission to remain apolitical," and argued the IIR should at least be drafted and submitted to FBIHQ (p.25-26).
p.25The alternative context statement the author proposed: "The acquisition of the source's information passed through a sub-source who claimed contact with unidentified PRC government officials, leaving the veracity of information questionable but is being reported due to the nature of the threat being discussed" — later reworded before release to "The source obtained the information from an identified sub-source who claimed contact with unidentified PRC government officials" (p.26).
p.26Resolution: FITF-China did not want the IIR reissued; on 8 October 2020 the field agreed with FITF-China's assessment not to reissue and notified SAC Thomas Relford; a Sentinel record notes the IA deleted the draft IIR due to "Internal Coordination" on 15 October 2020 (p.27, p.30-31).
p.27New guidance issued: RICU (28 Sep 2020) and DI Communication (30 Sep 2020) directed that CROs, handling agents, and EIAs coordinate with the appropriate HQ Division (notably FITF, Cyber, and/or CID's election teams) prior to disseminating IIRs on any information related to the 2020 elections (p.28-29).
p.28FITF issued a lead to FBI Chicago (28 Sep 2020) to coordinate with CBP on whether any fraudulent driver's licenses seized by CBP were used to register to vote (p.28).
p.28FBI Chicago/CBP response (5 Oct 2020): CBP does not maintain a list of names and addresses on counterfeit licenses; the majority of such documents "are procured by teens between the ages of 18 and 20 who then modify their DOB... to circumvent alcohol laws" (p.30, p.34).
p.30Floris-OGA IM (undated within package): Floris states "we're pushing out a note today to all FOs that all election related IRs must come through FITF/HQ" and "i'm basically running a shadow government across the FBI at this point"; the OGA participant notes "The Director has the original in his book this AM" (referring to the recalled IIR) (p.32).
p.32IIR recall statistics (per Sentinel, ~1,130 Recalls from 01/01/2019 to present): 2019=209, 2020=154, 2021=168, 2022=204, 2023=172, 2024=140, 2025=83 (to date); totals include 519 [administrative], 593 [substantive], 18 FISA-Compliance recalls (FISA-Compliance Recall introduced Feb 2020) (p.35).
p.35Albany Field Office 2020 recall total: the only recall is 802I-AL-49205-INTELPRODS 207 — the SUBSTANTIVE RECALL of the Chinese fraudulent-drivers-licenses/mail-in-votes IIR (p.35).
p.35Page evidence
FBI Albany Briefing Handout / Tasking Package (Strategic Review of the Recalled IIR) · p.28
Page OCR text
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE BY COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT WARRINGTON on 10 July 2026 Date/Time (approximate) 09/26/2020 12:43 p.m. FBI Albany SIA sends CID ASC an email, “I’ve been talking with our IPM throughout the IIR process. Our current plan is to release an IIR again if the SA confirms the info from the CHS...” SIAR emaits Albany team, “...got a call from an SIA and UC at CD. Not surprisingly, all raw reporting concerning the election will now require HQ coordination, which was not required as of last week.” 9/28/2020 11:49 a.m. _ SIABBiype messages FBI Albany CRO regarding IIR, “Regarding the election IIR - if it comes throu again and we look to re-release the info, do we have any concern about the authoritative nature of the reporting....figuring this is going to get even more scrutiny if we try to release the | info again” 9/28/2020 11:52 a.m. CRO kype message replies to SIA yes it will get ALOT more scrutiny, but the source doc has China Government....not the fraudulent licenses.” 9/28/2020 11:53 a.m. SAREE ope message replies to CRO “right but wondering if that info, from the same sub-source, calls into question the authoritative nature of the reporting. Trying to get ahead of the scrutiny.” 9/28/2020 12:13 p.m. FBI Albany IA emails Albany team about CHS reporting, “Given the lack of specifics we received in the initial reporting, my first opinion was that the CHS wants to help and is probably supplementing his reporting via open sources which is what nd | were working to get through follow on RFCs and meets.” 9/28/2020 3:58 p.m. FBI Albany SA mails Albany team about CHS reporting, “.. advised that her/his most recent reporting-specifically regarding the fraudulent use of drivers’ licenses-was obtained from an individual in China. | asked if s/he had read about the aforementioned fraudulent use of drivers’ licenses in a _ Newspaper and EEESaid no.” 9/28/2020 4:06 p.m. Raw Intelligence Coordination Unit (RICU) sends email to CROs and CRAs providing RICU guidance to threats to U.S. Elections IIR reporting. “CROs, handing agents, and ElAs should coordinate with the appropriate HQ Division, notably FITF, Cyber, and/or CID’s election teams, using the following email addresses, prior to disseminating liRs on any information related to the 2020 elections.” 9/28/2020 6:13 p.m. Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) issues lead to FBI Chicago, “In order to determine if any of the fraudulent driver's licenses seized by CBP were used to register to vote, the Foreign Influence Task Force-China (FITF-C) respectfully requests the local field office coordinate with CBP regarding the seizure of fraudulent driver's licenses.” 9/29/2020 10:20 a.m. CRO eri CRO Based on the conflict of this information to that of the wider USIC, the fact that it contradicts Director Wray’s testimony to Congress, and the importance to the current administration, | think we should be ready to back up the IIR with a minimum of the following information and treat it like it will be going in front of the President. We’re skeptical of this reporting based on the portions regrading COVID that veer into conspiracy theories.” _ 7 Z 9/29/2020 11:07 a.m. _ FITF issues second lead to FBI Chicago, informing of FBI Albany IIR recall and asking for FBI Chicago to reach out to CBP, “The Foreign Influence Task Force- China (FITF-C) is providing an update to the Chicago Field Office to the lead set on 9/28/2020 11:46 a.m.
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