Former FBI Chicago Chief Sues U.S. Attorney Boutros, Patel and DOJ, Claiming He Was Forced Out Over Collapse of 'Broadview Six' Case
Douglas DePodesta, who led the FBI's Chicago field office until July, filed a federal lawsuit Monday claiming he was forced to resign after U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros falsely blamed him for the collapse of the "Broadview Six" protest prosecution.
The complaint, filed Nov. 2 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (DePodesta v. Boutros, No. 1:26-cv-13506), names Boutros, FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, the FBI and the Justice Department. It also sues Boutros in his personal capacity for defamation. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly. Everything below is DePodesta's claim; no defendant had filed a response as of publication, and there has been no ruling.
What the Lawsuit Claims About the Broadview Six Case
The Broadview Six case charged protesters after a September 2025 demonstration outside an immigration facility in Broadview, Illinois, during the Department of Homeland Security operation known as "Midway Blitz." According to the complaint, a grand jury rejected the proposed indictment on Oct. 9, 2025, then returned it on Oct. 23 after Boutros personally addressed the grand jurors about possible biases in "immigration" cases.
The lawsuit claims the case "disintegrated because of improprieties by federal prosecutors, including Boutros himself," and that Boutros dismissed the remaining charges with prejudice at a May 21, 2026 hearing. It alleges Boutros told the court he learned of improper "vouching" before the grand jury only in late April, and claims "those statements were intentionally false." DePodesta says he "had no role in deciding to seek charges" and was not involved in the grand jury proceedings.
Boutros has publicly dismissed criticism of his office. Asked by FOX 32 Chicago in July about calls for his resignation, he called it "more theater than anything else" and said, "The corruption in Chicago will not be tolerated. Period."
Video: FOX 32 Chicago, "The Chicago Report" (file, July 18, 2026), U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros
How DePodesta Says He Was Pushed Out
According to the complaint, FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia told DePodesta in early June that Boutros had told Justice Department leaders that DePodesta and his sister-in-law, a Chicago defense attorney who represented one of the Broadview Six defendants, "had conspired to destroy" the case. DePodesta denies ever discussing the case with her.
The lawsuit claims that in early July, Associate Deputy Director B. Chad Yarbrough told DePodesta that Patel "did not want the controversy" and "insisted that DePodesta needed to be terminated, regardless of the truth of Boutros' allegations." DePodesta says he resigned as ordered on July 1. The complaint also cites a July 1 post by the official FBI Rapid Response account on X: "Anyone who is not on board with THIS FBI under the leadership of President Trump... is free to leave."
The suit also claims Boutros pressed DePodesta during Midway Blitz to have an agent sign an affidavit describing a video as an assault on a federal officer, which DePodesta says he refused to do.
What He Is Asking For
DePodesta brings nine counts, including Fifth and First Amendment claims, Administrative Procedure Act claims, and state-law defamation and tortious interference claims against Boutros personally. He asks the court to order his reinstatement and award back pay, damages and attorneys' fees.
The Digital Free Press has reached out to the Justice Department for comment and will update this story with any response.
Sources: Complaint, DePodesta v. Boutros, No. 1:26-cv-13506 (N.D. Ill. filed Nov. 2, 2026), https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/75056492/depodesta-v-boutros/ ; FOX 32 Chicago, "Former FBI Chicago chief sues over 'forced' resignation" (Nov. 2, 2026), https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/depodesta-lawsuit-fbi-chicago-broadview-six ; FOX 32 Chicago, "The Chicago Report" interview with Andrew Boutros (July 18, 2026), https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-ueom330wcejoqx16
Comments