James Comey to be arrested? Massive update in ex-FBI chief’s case, not guilty plea entered

Published on: Oct 08, 2025 08:56 pm IST

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to criminal charges accusing him of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation.

Former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to criminal charges accusing him of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation. A judge scheduled the trial to begin on January 5.

James Comey, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is seen in a frame grab (REUTERS)

Comey’s lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, entered the plea on the ex-FBI chief’s behalf. “Our view is that this prosecution was brought at the direction of President Trump,” Fitzgerald said.

This comes as Comey was accused of knowingly making a false statement during a hearing in 2020 when he stated that he did not authorize anyone to serve as an anonymous source in news reports about FBI investigations. The indictment accuses the 64-year-old of authorizing an FBI employee to disclose information about a federal probe.

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The indictment does not identify the investigation, but it appears to relate to Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump’s rival in the 2016 election. It does not detail the evidence against Comey.

Will Comey be arrested?

The charges, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, can carry up to 10 years in prison if convicted. While arrest warrants are possible for flight risks, Comey’s cooperation makes immediate arrest unlikely.

What the indictment says

The two-count indictment alleges that Comey made a false statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 30, 2020, by denying he had authorized an associate to serve as an anonymous source to the news media and that he obstructed a congressional proceeding.

Comey has denied any wrongdoing and has said he was looking forward to a trial. The indictment does not identify the associate or say what information may have been discussed with the media, making it challenging to assess the strength of the evidence or to even fully parse the allegations.

The judge randomly assigned to the case, Michael Nachmanoff, was nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration and is a former chief federal defender.

(With AP inputs)

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