Anti-Trump FBI agent arrested trying to flee country, charged with leaking confidential intel

An FBI agent who accused the first Trump administration of political bias and claimed that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani "may have been compromised" by Russian agents was arrested at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday before he could flee the country.

According to the criminal complaint filed Tuesday, Johnathan Buma was charged with illegally disclosing confidential documents.

Buma, a 15-year FBI veteran and counterintelligence specialist who criticized the first Trump administration's handling of classified information, allegedly printed out nearly 130 files from internal FBI networks in October 2023.

At least eight of the files Buma allegedly printed out contained "sensitive information reports relating to a foreign adversary," and some files contained information that confidential human sources provided to the FBI, which "were clearly marked with protected warnings that made clear that the information was to be protected," said the complaint.

'The book draft contained information that Buma obtained through his position as an FBI Special Agent.'

Buma allegedly also printed out screenshots of messages he exchanged with a confidential source via an encrypted messaging application — images containing information the complaint noted somehow ended up in a news article later that year.

After he allegedly printed what he needed for his tell-all autobiographical book, Buma notified his supervisors of his intent to go on leave without pay. It appears that Buma was not discreet about the planned contents of his book during his unpaid sabbatical, sharing excerpts on social media and allegedly circulating a draft via email that allegedly included details about the bureau's investigations into a foreign country's weapons of mass destruction program.

"The book draft contained information that Buma obtained through his position as an FBI Special Agent that relates to the FBI's efforts and investigations into a foreign country's weapons of mass destruction program," said the complaint.

Federal agents raided Buma's Los Angeles house in November 2023. Mother Jones noted at the time that the search warrant said the agents were searching for classified documents and signs that Buma may have unlawfully removed or retained national defense documents. According to the criminal complaint filed Tuesday, during their raid of his house, federal agents did not find any of the documents Buma allegedly printed.

The attorney representing Buma after the raid claimed that the document search was retaliation for Buma's complaints to congressional investigators about Giuliani's alleged interactions with foreign agents as well as about supposed discrimination and bias at the bureau.

Buma previously claimed that there was a desire among his fellows — at the same bureau that undermined President Donald Trump's campaign and presidency — to scrutinize Hunter Biden's dodgy dealings but not similarly to look into one of Trump's closest allies.

"In Buma's case, the Bureau's conduct raises special concerns that counterintelligence activities targeting the Russian intelligence services are being blocked when they produce evidence that the Bureau considers politically embarrassing," said attorney Scott Horton.

Although arraigned in a Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, Buma's case was reportedly transferred to California, where the charges were filed. He has been released on a $100,000 bond.

ABC News indicated that as of Wednesday night, Buma had not entered a plea and his attorney had not responded to a request for comment.

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