Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, confirmed on social media that the FBI conducted a search and confiscated his phone as part of an investigation into campaign finance concerns, Mail Online reported.

The investigation follows Ogles' admission of mistakes in his campaign finance disclosures and the subsequent filing of amended reports.

The search, which occurred last Friday, was reported by local outlet WTVF on Tuesday.

Campaign Finance Concerns Prompt Investigation

Ogles, who represents a portion of Nashville, has been under scrutiny for his campaign finance practices. The FBI's interest centers on discrepancies in Ogles' financial filings during his recent campaign.

In May, Ogles submitted numerous amended financial reports, retracting earlier claims that he had personally loaned his campaign $320,000. He clarified that this pledge included documented assets such as bank and retirement accounts.

Ogles explained that only $20,000 of the pledged amount was necessary to transfer, and the full amount mistakenly appeared in the campaign's Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports.

Ogles' Statements on Social Media

On Tuesday, Ogles took to social media to address the investigation, stating, "It has been widely reported for months that my campaign made mistakes in our initial financial filings." He assured followers that his team had worked diligently with legal and reporting experts to correct the errors and ensure future compliance.

"Last Friday, the FBI took possession of my cell phone. It is my understanding that they are investigating the same well-known facts surrounding these filings," Ogles added.

Ogles expressed his willingness to cooperate fully with the FBI, just as he had with the FEC, and remained confident that the discrepancies were due to honest mistakes.

Election Success and Subsequent Legal Scrutiny

Despite these issues, Ogles successfully won his competitive Republican primary election on August 1. His victory secured his position as a representative of Tennessee's Fifth Congressional District.

Ogles described himself as a grassroots representative, committed to pledging everything he owned for the honor of serving his district. He reiterated that the $320,000 pledge comprised several documented assets, including bank and retirement accounts, which he was ready to risk for the chance to fight for Middle Tennessee personally.

"While we only needed to transfer $20,000, unfortunately, the full amount of my pledge was mistakenly included on my campaign's FEC reports," Ogles stated in May.

Official Responses and Lack of Awareness

Ogles' attorney, G. Kline Preston IV, declined to comment on the FBI's actions. "I'm not going to confirm or deny that there was a search warrant issued," Preston told the outlet.

Neighbors and most local law enforcement personnel were reportedly unaware of any FBI searches near Ogles' residence. However, one source disclosed that the FBI had executed a search warrant within the county recently.

Both the Republican's office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

Conclusion

Rep. Andy Ogles confirmed that the FBI searched him and seized his phone as part of an investigation into his campaign finance disclosures. This follows his admission of errors and the filing of amended reports. Despite these issues, Ogles won his Republican primary in August. His attorney and local officials have remained largely silent on the matter, with the investigation ongoing.