The U.S. Department of Justice secured a second criminal indictment against former FBI Director James Comey on April 28, 2026 [5].
This legal action marks a significant escalation in the ongoing friction between the former law enforcement chief and the current administration. The case centers on whether a social media post constitutes a criminal threat against a sitting president.
The current indictment is reportedly tied to a photo Comey posted in May 2025 [4]. The image depicted seashells arranged to read “86-47” [2]. President Donald Trump, the 47th president [3], said the arrangement was a call for his assassination [1].
Federal prosecutors have now brought a second [1] indictment against the former director. The Department of Justice maintains jurisdiction over the matter as a federal case. The specific charges associated with the seashell photo are being processed through the federal court system.
Comey previously led the Federal Bureau of Investigation before his tenure ended. The current legal proceedings follow a pattern of public disputes between Comey and the president. The DOJ announcement on April 28, 2026 [5], confirms that the government is pursuing these charges in a formal capacity.
Legal analysts are monitoring the case to see how the government defines coded language in the context of threats. The use of numerical arrangements in social media posts as evidence for criminal indictments is a point of contention in the current proceedings.
“The U.S. Department of Justice secured a second criminal indictment against former FBI Director James Comey”
This indictment represents a rare instance where a former head of a major federal law enforcement agency faces criminal charges based on the interpretation of symbolic social media content. It highlights the tension between freedom of expression and the legal thresholds for threatening a head of state, potentially setting a precedent for how 'coded' language is prosecuted in federal courts.
