Former FBI Chicago Chief Sues DOJ, FBI Over Forced Resignation

Douglas DePodesta, the former head of the FBI’s Chicago field office, filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. He claims he was forced to resign after serving as a scapegoat for a series of failed prosecutions related to Operation Midway Blitz.

DePodesta led 1,100 FBI agents in Chicago for just under two years. The suit names FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche as defendants. It also targets Andrew Boutros, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. DePodesta is suing in both his personal and professional capacity.

The lawsuit states that political pressure entered the Chicago office as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown began last fall. DePodesta claims Boutros urged him to open investigations into individuals with political views opposed to the administration. The suit describes a climate of pressure to charge individuals involved in the Broadview Six, a group of protesters arrested outside an ICE detention facility in Broadview in 2025.

Charges against the six defendants were dropped earlier this year. U.S. District Judge April Perry had demanded grand jury transcripts. Those records showed that Boutros’ team excluded dissenting votes to secure the charges. DePodesta alleges that Boutros convinced Blanche and Patel to blame him for the botched prosecutions.

The filing states that Boutros used DePodesta to deflect attention from his own failings. It quotes a communication where Deputy FBI Director Christopher Raia told DePodesta that Boutros alleged DePodesta conspired with his sister-in-law, Nancy DePodesta, to destroy the Broadview Six case. Nancy DePodesta is a prominent Chicago defense attorney who represented Michael Rabbitt, one of the six defendants.

DePodesta claims he had no role in deciding to seek charges against the Broadview Six. He states he never spoke with his sister-in-law about the case. The suit argues that Boutros knew his statements were false and made them intentionally to force DePodesta out.

DePodesta is seeking his job back, along with backpay and damages. He alleges that the actions of Boutros, Patel, and Blanche violated his First and Fifth Amendment rights. In an interview, DePodesta said his resignation was ordered and not voluntary. He noted that the FBI’s role is to investigate, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office decides which charges move forward to the grand jury.

DePodesta said his ouster created a chilling effect for the agents in Chicago. He stated that the executive management team shielded the staff from details of what was happening in Washington, D.C. DePodesta has since begun work in the private sector after 24 years of federal service. He hopes his lawsuit will encourage other government employees to share their experiences.

The offices of Boutros and Blanche have not yet responded to requests for comment. Boutros has previously denied that politics play a role in his office.