Atlanta ( CNN ) Former CIA director and retired Gen. David Petraeus remains a trusted adviser to the White House on its strategy in Iraq , despite being convicted of leaking classified information to his mistress and biographer , then lying to the FBI . The National Security Council and Obama administration have been consulting with Petraeus on matters related to Iraq and ISIS , White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed on Monday . Earnest did not elaborate how long Petraeus has been advising the White House since his fall from grace , but Newsweek reports the retired four-star general has been in the role since last summer . `` Gen. Petraeus is somebody who served for a number of years in Iraq . He commanded a large number of American military personnel in that country , '' Earnest said . `` He is , I think , legitimately regarded as an expert , when it comes to the security situation in Iraq . So I think it makes a lot of sense for senior administration officials to , on occasion , consult for him advice . '' Once considered a possible presidential candidate , Petraeus plead guilty to one federal charge of removing and retaining classified information earlier this month as part of a plea deal approved by Attorney General Eric Holder . According to court documents , Petraeus admitted removing several so-called black books -- notebooks in which he kept classified and non-classified information from his tenure as the commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan -- and giving them to his biographer , Paula Broadwell . After he resigned from his CIA post in 2012 , Petraeus told the government he had no classified materials in his possession . That claim turned out to be false as the FBI found the notebooks when they conducted a search of Petraeus ' house in 2013 . When he was questioned by the FBI at the time , he lied and claimed he never provided classified information to anyone not authorized to have it , according to court documents . Earnest says he is unaware of any particular security precautions put in place by the White House when it consults with Petraeus , despite his legal problems and lack of CIA security clearance . Petraeus is currently the chairman of a global institute for private equity firm KKR .
The Obama administration has consulted with Petraeus on matters related to Iraq and ISIS . Petraeus plead guilty to one federal charge of removing and retaining classified information earlier this month .