Top Fbi Agent In Chicago Abruptly Leaving Post After Being Pushed To Retire, Ap Sources Say

WASHINGTON — The caput of nan FBI’s Chicago section agency is abruptly leaving his position, according to a resignation connection he sent to colleagues and aggregate group acquainted pinch nan business who said he was told to retire.

Douglas DePodesta has served arsenic typical supplier successful complaint successful Chicago, 1 of nan FBI’s largest offices, for astir 2 years and has been pinch nan bureau since 2002.

He told colleagues that his past time would beryllium Monday, according to a connection seen by nan Associated Press. Multiple group acquainted pinch nan matter, speaking connected information of anonymity to talk a unit move, said DePodesta had been pushed to retire.

The events starring up to his departure were not instantly clear, but DePodesta alluded successful his farewell statement to a conflict that he suggested had precipitated it.

“I’ve ne'er backed down from a fight, arsenic agelong arsenic it meant our unit could proceed serving nan FBI’s mission,” DePodesta wrote successful nan message. “Unfortunately, that has proved unpopular complete clip and my departure is simply a consequence of that.”

The move is portion of a broader upheaval successful nan FBI’s workforce arsenic Director Kash Patel has sought to unit retired statement agents and supervisors alike who are perceived arsenic not supporting nan Trump administration’s agenda. It besides comes amid prolonged tumult successful nan rule enforcement organization successful Chicago, whose apical national prosecutor, Andrew Boutros, described this week a sweeping reappraisal of much than 1,000 expansive assemblage presentations made by Illinois prosecutors pursuing nan dismissal of a high-profile lawsuit complete misconduct.

The FBI declined to remark Thursday, but nan bureau’s “rapid response” societal media relationship connected X responded to a abstracted station astir DePodesta’s departure by saying: “It’s simple: Anyone who is not connected committee pinch THIS FBI nether nan activity of President Trump — which has achieved nan lowest execution complaint ever — is free to leave.”

DePodesta besides quoted successful his statement from a farewell connection from Patel’s predecessor, erstwhile Director Chris Wray, who reminded nan workforce that “you person been who nan American group person turned to successful their darkest moments” and praised them for having “stayed existent to nan values that specify who we are, and to nan qualities for which we stand: Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity.”

DePodesta joined nan FBI successful Chicago successful 2002 and worked supplier investigations. He later held elder roles astatine FBI office successful Washington and successful Detroit and Memphis earlier being named apical supplier successful Chicago successful August 2024.

Tucker and Richer constitute for nan Associated Press.