Douglas DePodesta, who led the FBI’s Chicago Field Office for two years, told his team “keep the FBI mission alive” as speculation swirls around his departure. His exit comes after weeks of turbulence around the “Broadview Six” case and public clashes involvin
On his way out the door, Douglas DePodesta—who led the FBI in Chicago for the last two years—sent his team a message that sounded less like a goodbye than a last push to endure.
In a note addressed to “FBI Chicago. ” DePodesta wrote that “our recent past has challenged us in more ways than most of us could have ever imagined.” He said he “never backed down from a fight. ” as long as it meant “our personnel could continue serving the FBI’s mission.” Then he added the sentence that landed like a confirmation of the rumors swirling around him: “Unfortunately. ” he wrote. “that has proven unpopular over time and my departure is a consequence of that.”.
The Chicago Sun-Times obtained a copy of DePodesta’s message after news broke that he would be leaving his job as special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI Field Office. His last day with the FBI will be Monday, the message said.
DePodesta thanked his team “for the tireless sacrifices you and your families make,” writing that “No one outside of these walls will ever understand how brave and honorable you each are.” In closing, he urged them to “Trust your instincts, be good to one another, and keep the FBI mission alive.”
Even as DePodesta’s staff received those words, the public fallout around his departure intensified. In response to reporting about his exit. the FBI Rapid Response social media account on Wednesday said. “It’s simple: Anyone who is not on board with THIS FBI under the leadership of President Trump — which has achieved the lowest murder rate ever — is free to leave.”.
The departure of DePodesta—described as a well-respected senior leader—has fed turmoil within Chicago’s federal law enforcement community and sparked speculation about what prompted it.
DePodesta’s exit comes six weeks after the collapse of the “Broadview Six” case against a group of Operation Midway Blitz protesters amid claims of prosecutor misconduct.
The controversy has mostly centered on the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros. At least one judge has recently questioned whether she can trust information from federal agents. For weeks, Boutros has been absorbing bad headlines.
During an unrelated press conference Thursday. Boutros complained about “an incredible amount of reckless reporting” when asked about the “Broadview Six” case. He said it “almost rises to the level of violating New York Times vs. Sullivan, with the spin and the just falsities of some of the things that have been presented in the press.”.
The legal reference—New York Times Co. v. Sullivan—is a 1964 U.S. Supreme Court decision that found damages cannot be awarded to a public official for defamation relating to his official conduct unless he proves that the statement was made with knowledge of its falsehood or with reckless disregard for whether it was true.
DePodesta took the helm of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office in August 2024. He has been with the FBI since 2002, and across his career he worked investigations involving drugs, corruption, terrorism and foreign counterintelligence. Before joining the FBI, he worked as a police officer in Cincinnati.
When Boutros was asked about DePodesta’s departure on Thursday, he told reporters it “was news to me.” Boutros said he had lunch plans with DePodesta on Tuesday, and he said he hopes DePodesta doesn’t cancel “so we can do lunch together.”
Boutros also praised DePodesta for helping bring obstruction of justice charges against a Chicago man accused of playing a role in an alleged plan to attack the June 14 Ultimate Fighting Championship event held at the White House on President Donald Trump’s birthday. “That case would not have been brought here in Chicago without the work and the dedication of Doug DePodesta and his team. ” Boutros said.
Robert Cekada, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, appeared at the same press conference. He told reporters he’d had an opportunity to see DePodesta on Thursday and “thank him for his service and his contribution to our success over the years.”
Cekada called DePodesta “a great man, honorable man, leaving the Department of Justice and moving on to the next chapter in his life.” And, he said, “that will come for me too.”
In the space between DePodesta’s message to “keep the FBI mission alive” and the pointed exchanges surrounding the “Broadview Six” case, the same theme keeps surfacing: how much trust, and what kind, federal investigators and prosecutors can still command when the public narrative turns sharp.
As DePodesta prepares for his last day with the FBI on Monday, the message he sent to “FBI Chicago” reads like a final instruction—one meant for a team standing at the intersection of high-stakes investigations, intense scrutiny, and leadership tested under pressure.
Douglas DePodesta FBI Chicago Field Office Operation Midway Blitz Broadview Six Andrew Boutros Chicago federal law enforcement New York Times v. Sullivan Operation New Dawn ATF Robert Cekada