A former FBI agent has filed a lawsuit alleging he was fired by FBI Director Kash Patel for “speaking publicly” as a citizen about an “important, publicly known, and widely debated federal investigation.”
In a 16-page federal complaint filed in Florida on Thursday, Stephen Friend says he previously ran into trouble with bureau authorities in 2022 as a result of “retaliation for protected whistleblower activity.”
Friend’s career appeared back on track when he was reinstated in September 2025 as a special agent assigned to the Jacksonville Field Office, according to the lawsuit. But that second stint did not last long…