Overview
- John Bolton pleaded not guilty after surrendering in Greenbelt, Maryland, and he was released pending further proceedings under classified‑evidence rules.
- A federal grand jury charged him with eight counts of transmitting national defense information and ten counts of unlawful retention, each carrying up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
- The indictment and search returns describe diary‑like notes and documents found at his home and office, as well as messages allegedly sent from a personal account to relatives without security clearances.
- Investigators also reference a 2021 compromise of Bolton’s personal email by actors tied to Iran as part of the case’s national‑security risk assessment.
- The FBI Baltimore Field Office leads the probe, with Maryland prosecutors and DOJ National Security Division attorneys on the case, as Bolton denounces the charges as political while some legal analysts say the evidence appears strong.