Former FBI Director James Comey, a longtime critic of US President Donald Trump, has been indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice and making false statements, the US Department of Justice announced.
Comey was accused of lying to Congress during testimony in September 2020 about whether he allowed classified information to be leaked to the media.
The indictment came days after Trump called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to more aggressively investigate his political opponents, including Comey, the BBC reported.
Following the announcement of the indictment, Trump reacted on his Truth Social network "Justice in America" and described the former head of the US Federal Police as "one of the worst human beings this country has ever known," reports Agence France-Presse.
Trump fired James Comey from the FBI in 2017 when he was investigating suspicions of foreign interference during the president's first term (2017-2021), and accused him of lying to Congress.
The investigation is being led by Lindsay Halligan, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who was previously Trump's personal attorney and took up her new position on Monday.
"These allegations... represent a breach of public trust of an extraordinary nature," Halligan said in a statement, adding that Comey faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Comey: I am innocent, I have faith in the justice system
After the indictment was filed, Comey said he was innocent and had faith in the American justice system.
"I'm heartbroken for the Department of Justice, but I have great faith in the federal justice system, and I'm innocent, so let's go to trial and keep the faith," Comey said in a video message on Instagram.
Komi is expected to surrender on Friday morning, a CNN reporter said on the X platform.
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