Douglas DePodesta, who served as FBI special agent in charge in Chicago until July 2026, filed a federal lawsuit claiming the Trump administration pressured him to pursue investigations against political opponents and unfairly blamed him for prosecutorial failures. The suit names FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and US Attorney Andrew Boutros. DePodesta alleges that Boutros engaged in “politically motivated prosecutions” and misconduct in pursuing charges against activists and protesters.
The lawsuit centers on the collapse of a criminal case against six anti-ICE protesters known as the Broadview Six, charged in connection with protests at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in September of 2025. A grand jury initially rejected the charges, an extremely rare occurrence, yet prosecutors returned to seek an indictment, with Boutros himself appearing in court to urge charges. According to DePodesta’s complaint, a judge later found prosecutors engaged in misconduct during grand jury proceedings. Boutros publicly stated he was unaware of the problems, but DePodesta contends the US attorney knew about the misconduct and made false statements to the court.
After the case was dismissed, DePodesta alleges Boutros launched a campaign within the Department of Justice to blame him for the case’s failure and falsely accused him of conspiring with his sister-in-law, a defense attorney representing one of the defendants, to destroy the case. DePodesta states he informed superiors he had not discussed the case with his sister-in-law, and senior FBI officials supported his account. However, he alleges pressure from above ultimately forced his removal from his position.
DePodesta, who had worked for the FBI since 2002, resigned in July. The FBI subsequently posted on social media that “anyone who is not on board with THIS FBI under the leadership of President Trump … is free to leave.” DePodesta’s lawsuit characterizes this post as false and defamatory. The suit alleges violations of due process, free speech rights, and defamation.
DePodesta’s complaint notes that only approximately 6% of cases brought by Boutros’s office against anti-ICE protesters during the period in question resulted in guilt findings. Spokespeople for the Department of Justice, Boutros, and the FBI did not respond to requests for comment.
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