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The FBI has recorded a sharp spike in complaints of sexual misconduct within its ranks, despite pledges from agency leaders to eliminate the issue. Nearly 300 allegations of sexual misconduct have surfaced since the bureau announced a crackdown in 2021—marking a nearly 50% increase over the preceding four-year period, Jim Mustian of the Associated Press reported yesterday per PBS News.
While the FBI attributes the rise to improved reporting mechanisms, critics argue it reflects the agency’s ongoing failure to protect women in a male-dominated workplace.
FBI Blames Spike on Crackdown, Critics Disagree
The FBI stated that it takes sexual misconduct allegations “extremely seriously” and acts upon them “expeditiously.” Bureau officials claim the increase in complaints is a result of heightened awareness and outreach efforts, not an actual increase in misconduct. “We have come a long way in addressing it in various ways using all the policy tools and legal means at our disposal,” the FBI said in a statement. “But we absolutely have more to do in accomplishing a meaningful and long-lasting cultural evolution that honors FBI Director Wray’s commitment to eradicating sexual misconduct throughout the organization.”
However, lawmakers and victims’ advocates are skeptical. Sen. Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned the bureau’s leadership for allowing sexual misconduct to persist. “Enough is enough,” Grassley told the AP, vowing to “get answers and root out further FBI misconduct.”
The FBI has refused to disclose details about specific incidents, citing federal privacy laws, but an Associated Press investigation found allegations ranging from sexual assault to agents paying for sex at massage parlors. Some cases resulted in criminal charges, while others involved inappropriate sexual comments or harassment within the workplace.
One of the most serious allegations led to the arrest of an FBI agent in Maryland, Eduardo Valdivia, who was charged with sexually assaulting two women he contacted through social media. His defense attorney maintains Valdivia “disputes all allegations that he engaged in any criminal conduct and expects to be cleared of all charges.”
A Culture Resistant to Change
The spike in misconduct reports comes at a time of upheaval for the FBI. Former Director Christopher Wray, who served under both Trump and Biden, resigned on Jan. 19, just one day before Trump’s inauguration. His replacement, Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist and former federal prosecutor, has yet to comment on how he will address the issue of sexual misconduct within the bureau.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle see the FBI’s handling of misconduct allegations as yet another example of the agency’s failure to hold its own accountable. Last year, the Justice Department paid $22 million to settle a class-action lawsuit in which female FBI recruits alleged they had been harassed by instructors who made comments about their breast size and spread false rumors about their personal lives.
The agency’s deeply entrenched culture remains an obstacle to reform. A former female FBI analyst, who once aspired to become the bureau’s first female director, recalled intentionally gaining 30 pounds in an attempt to stop a harasser from commenting on her body. “I would throw up in the office and have panic attacks in the stairway whenever I saw him,” she told AP. “I came very close to suicide twice.”
Victims, many of whom spoke anonymously, said they feared retaliation and had little confidence in the FBI’s internal investigative process. Others expressed frustration that high-ranking agents often received minimal punishment.
FBI Reform Efforts and Ongoing Secrecy
The FBI has made efforts to address sexual misconduct, including launching a 24/7 hotline for abuse reports and revising disciplinary policies. These reforms followed a previous AP investigation that exposed how senior FBI officials often retired before facing consequences for harassment.
However, the bureau remains opaque about how it handles discipline. Even in cases where allegations are substantiated, details remain scarce. Internal records reviewed by AP revealed that a supervisor was fired for suggesting female colleagues earned promotions through sex, while another senior FBI official was suspended for making inappropriate sexual comments at work events.
One of the most disturbing cases involved an assistant special agent in charge, Shannon Fontenot, who was accused of raping a heavily intoxicated woman in a Washington hotel room. Fontenot denied the allegations, claiming the encounter was consensual. Federal prosecutors declined to pursue charges, but an internal investigation found he violated FBI policies by failing to report that he was under police investigation. As a result, he was suspended for 10 days and transferred to a non-supervisory role at FBI headquarters.
Lack of Transparency Undermines Accountability
The lack of transparency in FBI misconduct cases makes it difficult to determine whether offending agents face meaningful consequences. Even in high-profile cases, disciplinary actions remain unclear.
For instance, a senior FBI official was found to have simulated anal sex on a coworker while making a graphic joke about Catholic priests. According to a Justice Department report, the official warned his colleagues, “This is going to be bad,” before closing an office door and performing the inappropriate act. He later admitted it was inappropriate but claimed it was “just a joke.” The FBI has not disclosed how, or if, he was disciplined.
Another case involved the bureau’s former No. 3 official, Jeff Sallet, who was accused of making offensive remarks to a subordinate, including suggesting her mother was disappointed she wasn’t “barefoot and pregnant.” Although investigators found that Sallet’s comments violated harassment policies, they determined they were not sexual in nature. He retired before facing any official discipline.
Calls for Real Change
Advocates argue that without true accountability, misconduct will continue unchecked. “When high-ranking officials face no meaningful consequences for abusive conduct, it sends the message that anyone is free to act with impunity,” said Stacey Young, co-founder of the DOJ Gender Equality Network.
Some former agents agree that reforms are failing. Martha Johnson, a retired FBI agent who says she was sexually assaulted by a colleague, believes the bureau’s internal processes are still designed to discourage victims from coming forward. “They’re patting themselves on the back, but the environment is still the same in that women are too afraid to even use a hotline,” she said. “I’ve seen this scenario play out over and over for 20 years. They didn’t change anything.”
As the FBI transitions into a new administration, it remains to be seen whether Patel’s leadership will bring meaningful change or continue the status quo.
