An American energy magnate claims that he courted diplomats from North Korea's New York mission on behalf of the FBI and CIA, going as far as trying to get a bugged copy machine installed in the North Koreans' office building.

An investigation from The Daily Beast published on Tuesday shows that Adam Victor, owner of TransGas Development Systems, said in a sealed 2015 affidavit that the FBI tasked him with collecting information about North Korean mission operations. The claims – also detailing a career helping the CIA on a range of issues – came to light during a sexual harassment suit first filed against him in 2014.