Prince, who sold off his Blackwater operation in 2010 after years of controversy, set up the Frontier Services Group in 2014 with the help of major Chinese investment firm Citic Group.

The ex-Navy Seal is alleged to have sought and received help from Chinese intelligence to create a Bank of China account for his Libya activities. He was apparently looking into possible military contracts in the north African country as far back as 2013.

According to The Intercept, who interviewed many of Prince’s current and former associates, the Department of Justice probe centers on proposals, apparently written by him and others in FSG, which offer fighting services to foreign governments.

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He is believed to have traveled to at least six countries since 2014 in the hope of expanding his mercenary empire.

Some working closely with Prince claim he is working far beyond his brief.

FSG boasts a number of former US military and intelligence operatives on its payroll while Prince himself is said to work closely with a former South African commando and a lawyer with dual US-Israeli citizenship.

FSG CEO Gregg Smith, a former US Marine, has tried to distance his company from any illegal solicitation in which Prince may have been involved, even going as far as to strip Prince of many of his powers as chairman when news of the year-old federal investigation came to their attention.

“FSG has no involvement whatsoever with the provision of — or even offering to provide — defense services in Libya,” he said.

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