Justice Department charges former FBI director James Comey with alleged 2016 leak

The Justice Department charged former FBI director James Comey with an alleged leak of a sensitive national security document from October 2016, according to court documents unsealed Monday, October 26, 2026. The department submitted the charges to the DC District Court on October 5, 2026, exactly ten years after the alleged leak. The department used a "waiverless criminal information" procedure to extend the limitations period, a move expected to be contested by Comey’s lawyers. Comey also faces a separate criminal allegation in coastal North Carolina regarding a social-media post that allegedly threatened the president. A prior case against him has already been dismissed.

This case involves ongoing legal proceedings against a former federal agency leader.