Former FBI Director James Comey is facing new criminal charges filed by the Department of Justice, according to court documents filed on October 26 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The allegations claim that Comey shared sensitive national defense information with an unauthorized individual and directed that such information be shared with a news outlet. The filings do not specify what information was involved or identify the recipients.
Comey promptly denied the charges, describing them as an abuse of power by the DOJ. In a video posted on social media, he stated, “Nothing’s changed with me, I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid of these people,” and vowed to contest the charges vigorously. This marks the third set of criminal charges Comey has faced from the DOJ during the administration of former President Donald Trump, who has long viewed the former FBI director as an adversary following Comey’s investigation into potential ties between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russian authorities.
The new indictment arrives shortly after a federal judge ruled that the DOJ’s 2025 firing of Comey’s daughter, Maurene Comey—a Harvard Law School graduate who served as a prosecutor in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office—was unlawful.
Comey was previously charged twice in 2025. The first case, which a judge dismissed, accused him of lying to Congress. The second case is ongoing and alleges that Comey threatened harm against Trump by posting on social media an image of seashells arranged to spell “8647.”
In response to requests for comment, the DOJ stated it had filed the new charges to toll, or pause, the statute of limitations related to the allegations involving Comey. “The Department filed a waiverless criminal information to toll the statute of limitations as it relates to allegations concerning former FBI Director Comey,” the DOJ said. The agency declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Court documents indicate the alleged conduct at issue occurred on October 4 and 5, 2016.
In his video response, Comey acknowledged the repetitive nature of the charges, saying, “Well they’re back, again,” while expressing gratitude for the support of his family and legal team. He encouraged Americans to maintain confidence in the country’s judicial system, asserting, “It’s really important that we stand straight and keep the faith in America.”