Ex-Chicago FBI chief sues alleging scapegoat role in Broadview case

Former Chicago FBI chief Douglas DePodesta sued FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, the FBI and the Justice Department, alleging he was forced to resign and wrongly blamed for the collapse of the Broadview Six prosecution. DePodesta alleges Boutros accused him of sabotaging the case, citing his relationship with his sister-in-law, a defense attorney for one of the defendants, and sought to shift blame from prosecutorial misconduct. He also alleges he faced pressure to pursue investigations of people opposed to the Trump administration, including protesters at an immigration facility. Charges against six people arrested after a 2025 protest outside the facility were dismissed after a judge raised concerns about prosecutors’ conduct before the grand jury. DePodesta says he was made a scapegoat for failed prosecutions tied to Operation Midway Blitz and is seeking reinstatement, back pay and damages; the allegations have not been independently established.