FBI Whistleblower Taken Into Custody for Allegedly Sharing Classified Information

FBI whistleblower Johnathan Buma’s has been taken into custody at JFK Airport for allegedly leaking classified information.

Key Insights

Johnathan Buma, an FBI agent, was arrested for allegedly disclosing classified information.
Buma, a 15-year FBI veteran, is accused of planning to publish these details in a book and sharing the classified information in a draft.
The draft reportedly included insights on the FBI’s investigations into foreign WMD programs.
Buma had previously filed a whistleblower complaint alleging suppression within the intelligence community.
He was released on $100,000 bail with the case to proceed in California’s federal courts.

FBI Agent Arrested for Disclosure

Johnathan Buma, a seasoned FBI agent with 15 years at the Bureau, was detained at JFK Airport last week. Authorities apprehended him while he was on the verge of boarding an international flight. Buma faces accusations of leaking sensitive information, which he allegedly intended to disclose in a forthcoming memoir. This memoir purportedly contains details about foreign weaponry programs. Formerly, Buma had criticized the FBI’s actions, highlighting alleged political bias during Trump’s administration.

Despite his whistleblower status, Buma is accused of printing out about 130 FBI files, some marked “Protected.” These documents reportedly covered the FBI’s investigations into a foreign country’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program, adding to the seriousness of the allegations. The charging documents state that Buma used his position to obtain and attempt dissemination of these sensitive materials. The FBI initiated its investigations into Buma’s actions during the Biden administration.

Previous Allegations and Charges

Buma made headlines previously for alleging intelligence suppression within the FBI. This assertion was part of a whistleblower complaint filed in January 2022, intensifying Buma’s conflicts with the Bureau. In 2023, he reportedly told The Business Insider that his superior treated the investigations regarding Hunter Biden’s involvement with Ukrainian company Burisma and Rudy Giuliani’s alleged involvement with a Russian operation differently. Notably, he claimed that his superior attempted to quickly dismiss allegations against Giuliani while elevating the case against Biden.

It was the same year that authorities raided Buma’s home under suspicion of mishandling classified information. Buma’s attorney at the time said that no classified material was found during the raid, although reports from that time indicated some “privileged information” was seized, according to The New York Post.

Despite the severe allegations, Buma was granted bail at $100,000 after his arrest, with the case scheduled to proceed in California federal court.