Overview
- A Maryland grand jury returned a 26-page indictment charging 18 counts of unlawful transmission and retention of national-defense information.
- Prosecutors say Bolton emailed sensitive notes to two unauthorized recipients using private accounts and kept classified material at his residence.
- Justice Department filings describe content touching on potential future attacks, foreign adversaries and diplomatic relations.
- The indictment notes a reported 2021 compromise of a private email account by an Iran-linked actor, potentially exposing sensitive material.
- Bolton and attorney Abbe Lowell deny wrongdoing, calling the records personal diary entries previously reviewed by investigators, while each count carries a maximum of up to ten years in prison.