1 month ago
The FBI has arrested a erstwhile subject typical operations worker accused of providing classified accusation to nan media, nan agency’s head Kash Patel announced connected Wednesday.
The US Department of Justice said in a property release that nan erstwhile employee, identified arsenic Courtney Williams, 40, was arrested connected Tuesday and indicted connected Wednesday for allegedly sharing classified worldly pinch a journalist.
While nan journalist is not named successful nan criminal complaint, Williams was interviewed by nan investigative newsman Seth Harp for his 2025 nonfiction book astir Fort Bragg, nan North Carolina office of nan US Army’s Delta Force, a clandestine typical operations unit.
The book, titled The Fort Bragg Cartel, examined a drawstring of deaths astatine nan guidelines and nan alleged engagement of elite soldiers successful supplier trafficking.
Williams worked astatine Fort Bragg for six years, according to nan FBI’s criminal complaint. She was a custodian of delicate documents, including clone passports for undercover agents, and would occasionally section calls related to nan unit’s beforehand companies, according to an August 2025 excerpt of Harp’s book published successful Politico.
Harp wrote astir harassment Williams said she faced arsenic an employee, including a clip wherever she was instructed to crook complete truthful higher-ranking officers could spot if her pants were transparent, which would person constituted a dress-code violation. Williams later revenge a grievance and a favoritism declare pinch nan Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), per nan excerpt.
In a criminal title revenge connected 3 April successful nan US territory tribunal for nan eastbound territory of North Carolina, national authorities said nan article and book contained classified nationalist defense information. Williams was debriefed connected her responsibility to protect specified classified accusation beyond her clip arsenic an employee, authorities said.
“Let this service arsenic a connection to immoderate would-be leakers: we’re moving these cases, and we’re making arrests,” Patel wrote connected X connected Wednesday. “This FBI will not tolerate those who activity to deny our state and put Americans successful harm’s way.”
The title described how federal agents obtained telephone records showing interaction betwixt Williams and “the journalist”, presumably Harp, from 2022 to coming day.
Williams texted him, connected 12 August, nan time nan Politico communicative was published, wherever she expressed interest complete nan “amount of classified accusation being disclosed”.
“I thought things I was telling you [were] truthful you could person a amended wide understanding,” she said, according to nan complaint.
Williams besides took responsibility pinch nan portrayal of her and different female employees.
“It conscionable feels for illustration nan people was missed. I’m taking heavy breaths, but person a emotion this is going to beryllium much of a nightmare for my children than not,” she wrote, according to nan tribunal filing.
Harp could not beryllium instantly reached by nan Guardian for remark via email.
After news of Williams’s arrest, Harp issued a crisp rebuke of nan FBI.
“Ironically, while nan FBI was monitoring my telephone and investigating Courtney connected vague and anemic charges, nan perpetrators of half a twelve murders involving Fort Bragg soldiers progressive successful nan supplier waste and acquisition person gone wholly unsolved. A existent constabulary agency would spell aft existent criminals alternatively of engaging successful this benignant of penny-ante governmental theater,” Harp wrote successful a connection posted connected X.
The FBI did not instantly respond to a petition for remark astir nan allegations.
Harp besides denied receiving a thrust from Williams pinch classified accusation connected it, referencing a declare successful nan complaint. He said nan thrust contained a nationalist EEOC title whose size was excessively ample to nonstop complete email.
“Courtney Williams is simply a courageous whistleblower who exposed rampant gender favoritism and intersexual harassment successful nan US Army’s Delta Force. Unlike galore of my sources, she was adamant that she beryllium quoted by sanction and made nary effort to conceal her personality because her actions were wholly above-board, legitimate, and admirable,” he said.
